The Relative Frequencies of G Serotypes of Rotaviruses Recovered from Hospitalized Children with Diarrhea: A 10‐Year Survey (1987–1996) in Japan with a Review of Globally Collected Data

Abstract

Since rotavirus vaccines aim to protect children from severe diarrhea, knowledge of the prevailing G serotypes among rotaviruses from hospitalized children is essential. Thus, we determined the G serotypes of rotaviruses collected from children with acute diarrhea in a local referral hospital in Akita, Japan, over the 10-year period between January 1987 and December 1996. Based on the assumption that rotaviruses with an identical electropherotype possess the same G serotype, the G serotypes of 488 rotavirus-positive specimens that were classified into 63 electropherotypes were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with a supplementary use of G typing by reverse transcription-PCR. The relative frequencies over the 10-year period were 77.0 (G1), 14.5 (G2), 2.7 (G3) and 5.3% (G4), leaving the possibility that only 0.4 % had G serotypes uncommon to human rotaviruses. Of 24,050 rotaviruses extracted by reviewing 63 serotyping studies in literature, the relative frequencies of the four major G serotypes were 50.6 (G1), 9.3 (G2), 7.2 (G3) and 11.6% (G4). As to uncommon G serotypes, only 0.9% were described as serotypes other than G1-4, and our estimate for potential uncommon serotypes were at most 8.1%. Thus, both this long-term study focusing on the rotaviruses only from severe cases in a single hospital in Japan and the global review of G serotypes published to date indicate that the primary target of any rotavirus vaccines should be rotaviruses possessing serotypes G1-4.

Apparent Re‐Emergence of Serotype G9 in 1995 among Rotaviruses Recovered from Japanese Children Hospitalized with Acute Gastroenteritis

“…We recently reported that the relative frequencies of G serotypes of rotaviruses derived from Japanese children hospitalized with diarrhea over a 10-year period from 1987 to 1996 were 77.0 (G1), 14.5 (G2), 2.7 (G3) and 5.3% (G4), thus confirming the importance of G serotypes 1-4 (15). On the other hand, this study left the possibility that two rotavirus specimens (0.4%) that remained untypeable had G serotypes uncommon to human rotaviruses.…”

Increased Prevalence of G1P[4] Genotype among Children with Rotavirus-Associated Gastroenteritis in Metropolitan Detroit

“…This was higher than the most recent national average rate of 3%, but was not significantly different (P ϭ 0.11) (8). The most common RV strains that have been globally associated with gastroenteritis are G1P [8] (6,11). These strains are significantly underrepresented in our area at rates of 16, 0, 1, and 3%, respectively (P Ͻ 0.05 for all).…”

“…P specificity is more conservative than G specificity, with P [8] the most common type worldwide, followed by P [4] and P [6]. P [8] is most frequently associated with serotypes G1, G3, and G4, while P [4] is most frequently associated with G2 (6,11).…”

Genogroup Characterization of Reemerging Serotype G9 Human Rotavirus Strain 95H115 in Comparison with Earlier G9 and Other Human Prototype Strains

“…Although 15 G serotypes have been described in the literature (12), G1 G4 were shown to be the G serotypes most frequently found in human rotaviruses (14). G9 human rotaviruses, however, emerged globally in the mid-'90s and thereafter, and these G9 strains were reported to predominate in some geographic settings (1,2,10,15).…”