Molecular-Genetic Characterization of Human Rotavirus A Strains Circulating in Moscow, Russia (2009–2014)

Abstract

Enteric viruses are the most common cause of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in young children and a significant public health problem globally. Hospital admissions of children under 5 years of age with diarrhea are primarily associated with group A rotavirus (RVA) infection. In this retrospective study, the population structure of viruses linked to AGE etiology in young children hospitalized with AGE in Moscow was evaluated, and molecular characterization of RVA strains was performed. Fecal specimens were collected from children under 5 years old hospitalized with AGE between 2009 and 2014 in Moscow, Russia. Multiplex real-time reverse transcription PCR was used to detect enteric viruses and for G/[P]-genotyping of isolated RVAs. Sequencing of RVA VP7 and VP4 cDNA fragments was used to validate the data obtained by PCR-genotyping. The main causes for hospitalization of children with AGE were RVA (40.1%), followed by noroviruses (11.4%), while adenoviruses, astroviruses, sapoviruses, enteroviruses, and orthoreoviruses were detected in 4.7%, 1.9%, 1.4%, 1.2%, and 0.2% of samples tested, respectively. Nosocomial infections, predominantly associated with RVAs and noroviruses, were detected in 24.8% of cases and occurred significantly more frequently in younger infants. The predominant RVA genotype was G4P[8], detected in 38.7% of RVA-positive cases, whereas genotypes G1P[8], G9P[8], G3P[8], and G2P[4] were found in 11.8%, 6.6%, 4.2%, and 3.3% of cases, respectively. Together, the presence of circulating RVA strains with rare VP7 and VP4 gene variants (G6 and P[9]) highlights the need to conduct continuous epidemiological monitoring of RVA infection.

Assessment of the Dependence of the Clinical Manifestation of Acute Gastroenteritis Caused by Rotavirus on Its Genotypes

“…The dominated genotype in Kyiv during 2014-2018 was the same as prevailed in Moscow in 2009 -2014 [5].…”

“…Half of all AGEs in Kyiv were due to rotavirus infection. A slightly lower percentage (40.1 %) was reported by Russians in their 2009-2014 study [5]. Naturally, in countries where vaccination is mandatory, this percentage is much lower.…”

“…In Moscow, the genotype G4P [8] accounted for 38.7 % of all rotavirus-positive cases between 2009 and 2014, being the prevailing genotype. Other genotypes, such as G1P [8], G9P [8], G3P [8], and G2P [4], occurred in 11.8 %, 6.6 %, 4.2 %, and 3.3 % of cases respectively [5].…”

Etiological structure of acute gastrointestinal infections in children and analysis of their clinical features depending on etiology

“…За даними з Індії та Перу, частота виявлення норовірусу дорівнює 31% і 15% відповідно [8,11]. Найбільш наближеними до даних поточ ного дослідження є дані московських дослідни ків -частота норовірусної інфекції у загальній структурі ГКІ становить 11,4% [4]. У проведеному нами дослідженні перше місце серед бактеріальних збудників кишкових інфекцій посідає Campylobacter (12%), у загаль ній структурі він на третьому місці і за часто тою виявлення може бути порівняний з норові русом.…”

“…На четвертому і п'ятому місцях -відповідно саповірус (7%) і астровірус (6%), на шостому -Salmonella (5%) і аденовірус, на сьомому -E.colli, на останньому (восьмому) -Shigella та інші збудники. За російськими даними, част ка астровірусу становить 1,9% [4], за єгипет ськими, -7,2% [15]. Аденовірус, за даними цього дослідження, становить 5% усіх збудни ків, у світі він зустрічається частіше -11% випадків ГКІ [2].…”