title: Molecular epidemiological profile of rotavirus in South Korea, July 2002 through June 2003: emergence of G4P[6] and G9P[8] strains.
abstract: To determine the distribution of rotavirus strain genotypes in South Korea, rotavirus-positive stool specimens were collected from July 2002 through June 2003 at 8 hospitals in the Korean Rotavirus Strain Surveillance Network, and they were genotyped by means of reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. The globally uncommon G4P[6] type was the most prevalent type identified among strains (27% of strains), the newly emerging G9P[8] strain accounted for 11% of strains, and the globally common genotypes (i.e., G1P[8], G2P[4], G3P[8], and G4P[8]) constituted 55% of the strains characterized. Ninety percent of G4P[6] strains were detected in specimens obtained from neonates. Common genotypes were responsible for the rotavirus epidemic that began in January 2003 and ended in May 2003; however, an early peak in infections with the G4P[6] strain occurred from August through October 2002, and infections with this strain were detected throughout the remaining study period. G4P[6] strains were most commonly identified at 6 urban health care centers, but they were absent from 2 rural health care centers. The newly emerging strain G9P[8] represented a relatively greater proportion of strains identified at a hospital in the central region of Korea and at 2 hospitals in the southern region. The identification of novel rotavirus genotypes in this laboratory-based surveillance study underscores the importance to public health of continued strain surveillance among children for whom prevention of rotavirus infection by vaccination might be considered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hanyang University Guri Hospital, Guri, Gyunggido, South Korea. jokang@hanyang.ac.kr
authors.forename: Jung Oak
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kilgore
authors.forename: Jung Soo
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Batmunkh
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nyambat
authors.forename: Jeonguk
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hun Suk
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: Yeomin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Sookjin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Chulhun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Sukwoo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Mi-Na
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gentsch
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bresee
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Glass
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D005838:Genotype; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000235:genetics*; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012621:Seasons; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance