title: Epidemiology of rotavirus subgroups and serotypes in Belem, Brazil: a three-year study.
abstract: Rotavirus subgroups and serotypes were determined in 61 rotavirus-positive faecal samples obtained from children living in Belém, Brazil, followed up from birth to 3 years of age. Fifty-five (90%) of the specimens were subgrouped and the serotypes of 30 (49%) of them were determined. Subgroup II was detected in 49 (89%) of the 55 subgrouped strains. Serotype 1 was present in 15 (50%) of the 30 serotyped samples; serotypes 2, 3 and 4 were found in 30%, 3.3% and 16.7% respectively, of these specimens. Absence of Vp7, the major outer capsid glycoprotein, did not allow serotyping in 21 (34.4%) of the 61 rotavirus-positive specimens, and an unidentifiable new serotype was found in faeces of one child. In addition, 4 samples were classified as subgroup II serotype 2 (which is very unusual). Twelve (80%) of the 15 serotype 1 (subgroup II) specimens were collected from children (5 of them asymptomatic) during their first year of life. All 9 serotype 2 (subgroups I, II, or not determined) samples were detected during the second and third years of life, 7 (77.8%) of them were related to apparent infections. The 5 serotype 4 (subgroup II) samples were obtained throughout the study period, and were associated with both symptomatic (3 cases) and asymptomatic infections. Thirteen children had more than 1 rotavirus infection. Three had 3 successive infections. In 3 cases, the initial infection (either symptomatic or asymptomatic) caused by serotype 1, was followed by a subsequent diarrhoeic episode associated with serotype 2.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Evandro Chagas, Fundação Servicos de Saúde Pública, Belém, Brasil.
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Linhares
authors.forename: Y B
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Gabbay
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Mascarenhas
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Flewett
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Beards
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001938:Brazil; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D012008:Recurrence; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000276:immunology; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012703:Serotyping