Rotavirus, Coroimavirus‐like Particles, Bacteria and Parasites in Central Australia

In an extensive fourteen-month survey which was carried out between June, 1977, and August, 1978, faecal specimens from Central Australian Aboriginal infants, children and adults, with and without diarrhoea, were examined by electron microscopy for the presence of viruses and also tested for the presence of bacteria and parasites. Faecal specimens from Central Australian non-Aboriginal infants, children and adults, with and without diarrhoea, were similarly tested. The over-all frequency of excretion of rotavirus was similar in Aboriginals and non-Aboriginals, although there were three peaks of rotavirus incidence in Aboriginals during the period of the survey, and only two in non-Aboriginals. The incidence of Salmonella/Shigella was slightly higher in Aboriginals than in non-Aboriginals, whereas the incidence of the coronavirus-like particles was very markedly higher. The frequency of excretion of these particles was also higher among those Aboriginals without diarrhoea than among those with it. The incidence of parasites followed a very similar pattern to that of the coronavirus-like particles among both Aboriginals and non-Aboriginals. Small isometric particles similar to the Norwalk agent or to astrovirus were only occasionally detected in this survey.