Klasseviruses are now assigned as members of the family Picornaviridae, genus Klassevirus, species Salivirus A.[4]
Klassevirus-1 was first identified using deep sequencing [1] from a pool of 141 stool samples mostly collected from children with acute gastroenteritis (AGE). After full genome characterisation, specific PCR screening identified two further instances of the virus in family members, but none were symptomatic.[1]
Two concurrent but independent reports found other members of the species in an Australian child with diarrhoea [2] and from stool samples from Nigerian children suffering non-polio acute flaccid paralysis (AFP), but these were named saliviruses[3].
Saliviruses, share approximately 90% genomic nucleotide identity with klasseviruses, and are of the same species. Saliviruses were not found in healthy controls and in only 2% to 9% of AFP and AGE.[3]
It remains to be determined whether these viruses are found extra-intestinally. No seasonality could be deduced from the small convenience populations tested and no culture isolates have been reported.
NOTE: This is derived from a failed 2010 grant application.
References…
- The complete genome of klassevirus – a novel picornavirus in pediatric stool.\
https://virologyj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1743-422X-6-82 - Klassevirus 1, a previously undescribed member of the family Picornaviridae, is globally widespread
https://virologyj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1743-422X-6-86 - A novel picornavirus associated with gastroenteritis
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19759142 - https://talk.ictvonline.org/ictv-reports/ictv_online_report/positive-sense-rna-viruses/picornavirales/w/picornaviridae/700/genus-salivirus