Are human P[14] rotavirus strains the result of interspecies transmissions from sheep or other ungulates that belong to the mammalian order Artiodactyla?
A limited number of human G6P[14] rotavirus strains that cause gastroenteritis in humans have been isolated in Europe and Australia. The complete genome sequences were determined for five of these human strains--B10925-97 (isolated in Belgium in 1997), 111/05-27 (Italy, 2005), PA169 (Italy, 1987), MG6 (Australia, 1993), and Hun5 (Hungary, 1997)--and their genetic relatedness to animal rotavirus strains was evaluated by sequencing the complete genome of the sheep rotavirus OVR762 (G8P[14]; Spain, 2002), the guanaco (Lama guanicoe) rotavirus strains Arg/Chubut/99 and Arg/Río Negro/98 (G8P[14] and G8P[1], respectively; Argentina, 1999 and 1998), the sable antelope strain RC-18/08 (G6P[14]; South Africa, 2008), and the bovine rotavirus strain Arg/B383/98 (G15P[11]; Argentina, 1998). These analyses revealed an overall consensus genomic constellation (G6/G8)-P[14]-I2-(R2/R5)-C2-M2-(A3/A11)-N2-T6-(E2/E12)-H3, together with a few gene reassortments, and the phylogenetic analyses confirmed that the P[14] human strains evaluated in this study were closely related to rotavirus strains isolated from sheep, cattle, goats, guanacos, and antelopes and to rabbits (albeit to a lesser extent), suggesting that one (or more) of these animal species might be the source of the human G6P[14] strains. The main feature of the genotype and phylogenetic analyses was the close overall genomic relatedness between the five human G6P[14] rotavirus strains and the ovine and antelope rotavirus strains. Taken together, these data strongly suggest a common origin for the human P[14] strains and those of the even-toed ungulates belonging to the mammalian order Artiodactyla, with sheep probably playing a key role in the interspecies transmission responsible for the introduction of P[14] rotavirus strains into the human population.
Matthijnssens
Jelle
J
Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Minderbroedersstraat 10, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium. jelle.matthijnssens@uz.kuleuven.be
Potgieter
Christiaan A
CA
Ciarlet
Max
M
Parreño
Viviana
V
Martella
Vito
V
Bányai
Krisztián
K
Garaicoechea
Lorena
L
Palombo
Enzo A
EA
Novo
Luis
L
Zeller
Mark
M
Arista
Serenella
S
Gerna
Giuseppe
G
Rahman
Mustafizur
M
Van Ranst
Marc
M
D001315:Australia; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005060:Europe; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000821:virology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017385:Sequence Homology
D012367:RNA, Viral