[Rotavirus A infections and reinfections: genotyping and vaccine implications].
OBJECTIVE
To identify rotavirus A and the most prevalent G and P genotypes in children with acute diarrhea, and to the describe the occurrence of rotavirus infection and reinfection.


METHODS
Group A rotavirus specimens were obtained from fecal samples from children with acute diarrhea in Goiânia, state of Goiás, Brazil from July 2000 to October 2002. Rotavirus A positive children and a control group (children of the same age and sex, without diarrhea and with no evidence of rotavirus in the first fecal samples) were followed prospectively during one year. All rotavirus A positive samples were genotyped using RT-PCR/nested-PCR.


RESULTS
A total of 77 group A rotavirus strains (37.2%) were identified in the diarrheic samples of 207 children. The following G genotypes were identified: G1 (62.3%), G9 (34.4%) and G4 (3.3%). With regard to P genotyping, 59% were characterized as P[8], 7.7% as P[6], 23.1% as P[6]+P[8], 7.7% as P[4]+P[8] and 2.6% as P[4]+P[8]. The following associations were observed: G1P[8] (77.8%), G9P[8] (11.1%), G4P[8] (5.6%) and G1P[6] (5.6%). No reinfection was observed in the 40 rotavirus A (+) children. However, but two of 40 children who were initially negative for this agent developed rotavirus infection during the same period.


CONCLUSIONS
The predominant G and P genotypes observed were similar to those found in new vaccines. No reinfection occurred during one-year of follow-up for any of the genotypes identified.
Costa
Paulo S S
PS
Departmento de Pediatria e Puericultura, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, GO. plcosta@terra.com.br
Cardoso
Divina D P
DD
Grisi
Sandra J F E
SJ
Silva
Paula A
PA
Fiaccadori
Fabíola
F
Souza
Menira B L D
MB
Santos
Rodrigo A T
RA
D000208:Acute Disease; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D022243:Rotavirus Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use
D022243:Rotavirus Vaccines