title: Genetic characterization of rotavirus subtypes in Pakistan-first report of G12 genotype from Pakistan under WHO-Eastern Mediterranean region.
abstract: Rotaviruses are among the major causes of gastroenteritis and diarrhea among children in developed as well as the developing countries. The rapidly evolving strain prevalence and circulation have resulted in the emergence of novel strains over the period worldwide. The introduction of G12 prototype in 1987 from Philippines and subsequently re-emergence among most of the Asian countries along with USA and Europe has provoked new research horizons to address the global distribution of rotavirus serotypes. These newly emerging subtypes and their sustenance among the population have posed tremendous challenge to the development of an effectual vaccine with heterotypic protective efficacy. In Pakistan, no data is available regarding the prevalent rotavirus serotypes; therefore, this is the first study to report the prevalence of G12 strain in Pakistan in hospitalized children with diarrhea addressing a dire need of further large-scale epidemiological surveys to resolve the underlying rotavirus isolates in both the hospitalized and the community neonatal and child population before formulating the vaccine introduction policies in the country's routine immunization program.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, National Institute of Health, Chak Shahzad, Park Road, Islamabad 54400, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad Masroor
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Alam
authors.forename: Salman Akbar
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Malik
authors.forename: Shahzad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shaukat
authors.forename: Asif
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Naeem
authors.forename: Salmaan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sharif
authors.forename: Mehar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Angez
authors.forename: Muhammad Suleman
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Rana
authors.forename: Adnan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khurshid
authors.forename: Sohail Zahoor
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Zaidi
mesh_terms: D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D015995:Prevalence; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017385:Sequence Homology
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D036022:Capsid Proteins; C050779:VP7 protein, Rotavirus