Detection of unusual strains of RV in patients with acute diarrhoea in Mexico.
BACKGROUND
Group A rotaviruses are a major cause of acute gastroenteritis in infants. Human strains with a short RNA pattern generally exhibit subgroup I, G2, P1B[4] specificity, those with a long RNA pattern show subgroup II, G1, G3 or G4, P1A[8] specificity. The presence of strains with unusual specificities has been reported worldwide over the last decade.


OBJECTIVE
To determine antigenic diversity among rotaviruses isolated from patients with diarrhoea.


METHODS
A laboratory-based survey study was carried out with faecal samples from patients with acute gastroenteritis form January to April 2000. To classify the samples PAGE and ELISA with specific antibodies to serotype G and P and RT-PCR were carried out.


RESULTS
Twenty one specimens from patients with dehydrating diarrhoea had unusual specifies. Nine specimens had unusual combination of long pattern and subgroup I. Twelve specimens with short pattern belong to G1 serotype. As far as the serotypes and genotypes concern 11 samples were P1A, P[4] and one specimen was P1A, P[9].


CONCLUSIONS
These results demonstrated the unexpected presence of unusual strains of rotavirus in Mexico. Detection of strains with both human and animal characteristics may indicate interspecies transmission of RV between humans and animals.
del R González-Losa
Maria
M
Laboratorio de Virología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Calle 59# 490x Ave. Itzáes, CP 97 000 Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico. glosa@tunku.uady.mx
Rodríguez-Angulo
Elsa
E
Manzano-Cabrera
Luis
L
Mejía-Cámara
Javier
J
Puerto-Solís
Marylin
M
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012703:Serotyping
D012367:RNA, Viral