title: Increased frequency of rotavirus G3P[8] and G12P[8] in Argentina during 2008-2009: whole-genome characterization of emerging G12P[8] strains.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Group A rotaviruses are the leading cause of non-bacterial severe diarrhea disease in infants and young children. In humans, the most common genotypes are G1-G4 and G9. Recently, G12 strains have been sporadically reported in several countries, including Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To analyze rotavirus strain diversity in Argentina during 2008-2009 and to describe the whole genome-based classification of emerging G12P[8] strains detected in our country.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rotavirus positive-samples (n=544) were collected from Argentinean children during 2008-2009, as a part of the National Surveillance Network for Viral Diarrheas. Specimens were genotyped by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) followed by nested-multiplex PCR. Sequencing of 11 genome segments was performed in 3 randomly selected G12P[8] strains.
  
  
  RESULTS
  G9P[8] was the most frequent strain in 2008, but in 2009 G3P[8] and G12P[8] were the most frequent strains in different geographical regions of the country. The novel emerging G12P[8] strains presented the following combination of genes: G12-P[8]-I1-R1-C1-M1-A1-N1-T1-E1-H1 (i.e. genotype1, Wa-like strains). The phylogenetic analysis of the VP7 gene of the G12P[8] strains grouped them within lineage III. Previously reported Argentinean G12P[9] strains presented genes from genotype 3 (AU-1-like strains) with a VP7 gene from lineage II.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The emergence of G12P[8] rotaviruses was due to the introduction of a new strain, rather than to a reassortment of the G12P[9] strains previously circulating in our country. This study assesses the temporal and geographical changes in genotypes prevalence as well as the periodic emergence of unusual G genotypes.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. INEI.ANLIS. Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán, Velez Sársfield Ave. 563, 1281 Buenos Aires, Argentina. jstupka@anlis.gov.ar
authors.forename: Juan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Stupka
authors.forename: Juan I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Degiuseppe
authors.forename: Gabriel I
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Parra
mesh_terms: D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D058974:Phylogeography; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral