Co-Surveillance of Rotaviruses in Humans and Domestic Animals in Central Uganda Reveals Circulation of Wide Genotype Diversity in the Animals

Abstract

Rotavirus genotypes are species specific. However, interspecies transmission is reported to result in the emergence of new genotypes. A cross-sectional study of 242 households with 281 cattle, 418 goats, 438 pigs, and 258 humans in Uganda was undertaken between 2013 and 2014. The study aimed to determine the prevalence and genotypes of rotaviruses across co-habiting host species, as well as potential cross-species transmission. Rotavirus infection in humans and animals was determined using NSP3 targeted RT-PCR and ProSpecT Rotavirus ELISA tests, respectively. Genotyping of rotavirus-positive samples was by G- and P-genotype specific primers in nested RT-PCR assays while genotyping of VP4 and VP7 proteins for the non-typeable human positive sample was done by Sanger sequencing. Mixed effect logistic regression was used to determine the factors associated with rotavirus infection in animals. The prevalence of rotavirus was 4.1% (95% CI: 3.0–5.5%) among the domestic animals and 0.8% (95% CI: 0.4–1.5%) in humans. The genotypes in human samples were G9P[8] and P[4]. In animals, six G-genotypes, G3(2.5%), G8(10%), G9(10%), G11(26.8%), G10(35%), and G12(42.5%), and nine P-genotypes, P[1](2.4%), P[4](4.9%), P[5](7.3%), P[6](14.6%), P[7](7.3%), P[8](9.8%), P[9](9.8%), P[10](12.2%), and P[11](17.1%), were identified. Animals aged 2 to 18 months were less likely to have rotavirus infection in comparison with animals below 2 months of age. No inter-host species transmission was identified.

Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of human group A rotavirus genotypes circulating among diarrheic children in Edo State, Nigeria

“…Mixed G2G9[P6] strains responsible for mixed infections were found to circulate among the study participants in the present study. The 0.5% prevalence of G2G9[P6] reported in the present study agreed with previous reports from Pakistan and Nigeria [39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51]. Unusual G2[P8] strains were also found circulating among the study participants in the present study.…”

“…The human G9 RVA genotype has acquired epidemiological significance and is currently accepted as the fifth main human RVA genotype [37,39]. Many studies have shown a close genetic link between human and pig G9 RVA strains, indicating that interspecies transmissions in association with reassortment have brought about the emergence of this genotype in humans [42][43]. In this study, the G9 strains were found circulating among children under five years.…”

Genetic Diversity of Rotaviruses Circulating in Pediatric Patients and Domestic Animals in Thailand

“…Rotavirus A is a diarrheal pathogen that can infect a broad range of animal species, such as pigs, cows, dogs, and cats [44]. Rotavirus A genotypes that have been detected in pigs worldwide are thirteen G genotypes (G1 to G6, G8 to G12, and G26) and seventeen P genotypes (P [1] to P [8], P [11], P [13], P [19], P [23], P [26], P [27], P [32], P [34], and P [49]) [47]. The most common G genotypes in pigs are G3, G4, G5, G9, and G11, in associated with P [6], P [7], P [13], P [19], and P [23] [48].…”

“…However, the most prevalent genotypes in calves are G6, G8, and G10, as well as P [1], P [5], and P [11] [12]. The most common rotavirus A genotypes in canines are G3P [3] and G3P [9], whereas G3P [3] and G3P [9] are the most prevalent genotypes in felines [49].…”