title: Rare G3P[3] rotavirus strain detected in Brazil: possible human-canine interspecies transmission.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An unusual strain of human rotavirus G3P[3] (R2638 strain) was detected from a 1-year-old child patient during the epidemiological survey of rotavirus in the state of São Paulo, Brazil in 2011.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to carry out sequence analyses of the two outer capsid proteins (VP4 and VP7) of the R2638 strain detected in order to obtain further information of the genetic relationships between human and animal rotaviruses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rotavirus G3P[3] was detected using a commercial immunoenzymatic assay, SDS-PAGE, and genotyped by RT-PCR. The analysis of the genetic relationship between human and animal rotaviruses was carried out by sequencing the VP7 and VP4 genes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The VP7 gene of the R2638 strain displayed the highest nucleotide identity to the canine strains A79-10 (96.6%) and CU-1 (96.2%) isolated in USA. The VP4 sequence showed the highest nucleotide identity to P[3] canine rotavirus strain RV52/96 isolated in Italy at 94.1%. Furthermore, the VP4 genes of P[3] strains could be discriminated into two phylogentically distinct clusters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study reinforces the hypothesis that animal's rotaviruses might be able to cross the species barriers, and the lack of systematic surveillance of rotavirus infection in small animals hinders the ability to establish firm epidemiologic connections. Moreover, in 2006 rotavirus vaccine was included in the Brazilian Immunization Program, and selective vaccine pressure could increase the circulation of uncommon strains. This is the first report of G3P[3] in over 20-year period of monitoring in Brazil.
authors.affiliation: Adolfo Lutz Institute, Virology Center, Enteric Diseases Laboratory, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. driluchs@gmail.com
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Luchs
authors.forename: Audrey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cilli
authors.forename: Simone Guadagnucci
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Morillo
authors.forename: Rita de Cássia Compagnoli
authors.initials: Rde C
authors.lastname: Carmona
authors.forename: Maria do Carmo Sampaio Tavares
authors.initials: Mdo C
authors.lastname: Timenetsky
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D001938:Brazil; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D036022:Capsid Proteins; D012367:RNA, Viral; C060339:VP4 protein, Rotavirus; C050779:VP7 protein, Rotavirus