Genetic characterization of norovirus GII.4 variants circulating in Canada using a metagenomic technique

Human norovirus is the leading cause of viral gastroenteritis globally, and the GII.4 has been the most predominant genotype for decades. This genotype has numerous variants that have caused repeated epidemics worldwide. However, the molecular evolutionary signatures among the GII.4 variants have not been elucidated throughout the viral genome. A metagenomic, next-generation sequencing method, based on Illumina RNA-Seq, was applied to determine...