Molecular Characterizations of Human and Animal Group A Rotaviruses in The Netherlands

Abstract

To gain more insight into interspecies transmission of rotavirus group A, human and animal fecal samples were collected between 1997 and 2001 in The Netherlands. A total of 110 human stool samples were successfully P and G genotyped by reverse transcriptase PCR. All strains belonged to the main human rotavirus genotypes G1 to G4, G9, [P4], [P6], [P8], and [P9].[P8]G1 was predominant, and 5.5% belonged to the G9 genotype. Eleven percent of all P[8] genotypes could be genotyped only by a recently published modified primer. Rotavirus-positive fecal samples from 28 calf herds were genotyped by DNA sequencing. Genotypes G6 and G10 predominated; G6 and G10 were detected in 22 (78.6%) and 16 (57.1%) of the rotavirus-positive calf herds, respectively. In 12 (42.9%) calf herds, we found mixed infections. Genotype G8 was not found. Genotype G6 bovine rotaviruses were divided into three clusters: UK-like, VMRI-29-like, and Hun4-like. DNA sequencing of a part of the VP7 gene was shown to be useful as a quick determination of uncommon or novel strains of which the genotyping cannot be done by genotyping PCR. Of equine strains, both VP4 and VP7 genes could be used for genotyping: two [P12]G3 and four [P12]G14 equine rotaviruses were determined. We did not find indications for rotavirus interspecies transmissions, although the recently published human G6-Hun4 is genetically related to our G6 bovine isolates. All bovine, porcine, and equine rotaviruses were within genotypes previously reported for these animal species.Group A rotaviruses (family Reoviridae) are the most common cause of gastroenteritis in young children and young animals (27). Rotavirus particles consist of three layers: the central core (enclosing 11 segments of double-stranded genomic RNA), the inner capsid, and the outer capsid (13). The outer capsid is studded with VP7 and VP4 proteins, which elicit neutralizing antibody responses and form the basis of the present dual classification system of G (VP7) and P (VP4) types (27). The VP7 protein expresses the major neutralization antigen and is distinguishable by means of both serological and genomic techniques in 14 G types, with good correlation between the serological and genomic classifications (21, 27). VP4 expresses a minor neutralization antigen, and the serological classification of the P types is much more difficult than genomic classification. To date, 13 P serotypes, including subtypes, and 20 P genotypes have been defined, but a precise correlation between the serological and genomic classifications has not been made (27 G3, and [P8]G4 are the most common G and P types (9, 29). However, rotavirus strains with other G and P types have increasingly been reported in different parts of the world, like the predominance of [P6]G9 strains in India (34), [P6]G8 strains in Malawi (6), and [P8]G5 strains in Brazil (2). Some strains, like G9 rotaviruses, have been found commonly across the world (9).These new rotavirus genotypes can also cause serious outbreaks of diarrhea in humans and may have a high attack r...

Serological and molecular diversity of human rotavirus in São Paulo, Brazil

“…This result was also reported for other Brazilian regions: North (28,30), Central (5) and Southeast (7,37) as well in other parts of the world (3,11,42). Three samples with more than 11 dsRNA segments were also found, showing a mixed infection with two different rotavirus strains.…”

Human, porcine and bovine rotaviruses in Slovenia: evidence of interspecies transmission and genome reassortment

“…Human, porcine and bovine rotavirus strains were collected in parallel in Slovenia for the first time and molecular analysis was carried out. To date, only one study in Europe has been conducted comparing human and animal rotavirus strains collected simultaneously in one defined area (Van der Heide et al, 2005), but in that study no evidence of interspecies transmission was detected.…”

Prokaryotic Expression of VP7 Gene and Subunit Vaccine Preparation of Bovine Rotavirus

“…At present, the conventional vaccines (including the live attenuated vaccine and virulent virus inactivated vaccine) are widely used [18,28]. However, there are a lot of failures during vaccination because of very unstable of the attenuated vaccine and insufficient immune responses stimulated by the inactivated vaccine [29].…”