Genomic characterization of human rotavirus G8 strains from the African rotavirus network: Relationship to animal rotaviruses

Abstract

Global rotavirus surveillance has led to the detection of many unusual human rotavirus (HRV) genotypes. During 1996-2004 surveillance within the African Rotavirus Network (ARN), six P[8],G8 and two P[6],G8 human rotavirus strains were identified. Gene fragments (RT-PCR amplicons) of all 11-gene segments of these G8 strains were sequenced in order to elucidate their genetic and evolutionary relationships. Phylogenetic and sequence analyses of each gene segment revealed high similarities (88-100% nt and 91-100% aa) for all segments except for gene 4 encoding VP4 proteins P[8] and P[6]. For most strains, almost all of the genes of the ARN strains other than neutralizing antigens are related to typical human strains of Wa genogroup. The VP7, NSP2, and NSP5 genes were closely related to cognate genes of animal strains (83-99% and 97-99% aa identity). This study suggests that the ARN G8 strains might have arisen through VP7 or VP4 gene reassortment events since most of the other gene segments resemble those of common human rotaviruses. However, VP7, NSP2 (likely), and NSP5 (likely) genes are derived potentially from animals consistent with a zoonotic introduction. Although these findings help elucidate rotavirus evolution, sequence studies of cognate animal rotavirus genes are needed to conclusively determine the specific origin of those genes relative to both human and animal rotavirus strains.

Suspected zoonotic transmission of rotavirus group A in Danish adults

“…However, the phylogenetic clustering of the reference strains we have used is consistent with what has been shown in another study including some of the same strains, and where the whole genome was determined [9].…”

Rotavirus genotypes co-circulating in Europe between 2006 and 2009 as determined by EuroRotaNet, a pan-European collaborative strain surveillance network

“…As rotaviruses were found to reassort readily in doubly infected cells in vitro and in vivo [7,[10][11][12], various combinations of VP4 and VP7 types have been observed in natural rotavirus isolates [13][14][15][16].…”

“…The temporal and geographical distribution and diversity of G8 strains seen before 2009 may suggest multiple zoonotic introductions [13,[27][28][29][30][31][32][33] whereas the similarity of the strains described in the current paper is likely to be the result of sustained person-to-person transmission of a strain adapted to the human host (Fig. 5).…”

Molecular epidemiology of rotaviruses in Bulgaria: annual shift of the predominant genotype

“…Although the ability of rotavirus genes to segregate independently upon dual infection could, in theory, lead to 132 G-P combinations, five G and P combinations, G1P [8], G2P [4], G3P [8], G4P [8], and G9P [8], are epidemiologically important in human infections [10,11]. However, geographical and temporal differences exist in the distribution of G and P types and their combinations: P [6] in association with G1, G2, G3, and G9 and G8 in combination with P [8] and P [6] have been shown to be the second most detected P and G type in India and some parts of the African continent, respectively [11][12][13][14][15][16]. Recent studies have reported the emergence of uncommon G or P types (G5, G6, G10, G11, G12, P [3], P [7], P [9], P [11], and many more) in different countries [10,11,[17][18][19][20][21][22].…”