Phylogenetic analysis of probable non-human genes of group A rotaviruses isolated from children with acute gastroenteritis in Belém, Brazil.
Rotaviruses (RVs) are the main cause of acute viral gastroenteritis in both humans and young animals of various species such as calves, horses, pigs, dogs, cats, and birds. The genetic diversity of RVs is related to a variety of evolutionary mechanisms, including point mutation, and genome reassortment. The objective of this study was to characterize molecularly genes that encode structural and nonstructural proteins in unusual RV strains. The clinical specimens selected for this study were obtained from children and newborn with RV gastroenteritis, who participated in research projects on viral gastroenteritis conducted at the Evandro Chagas Institute. Structural (VP1-VP4, VP6, and VP7) and nonstructural (NSP1-NSP6) genes were amplified from stool samples by the polymerase chain reaction and subsequently sequenced. Eight unusual RV strains isolated from children and newborn with gastroenteritis were studied. Reassortment between genes of animal origin were observed in 5/8 (62.5%) strains analyzed. These results demonstrate that, although rare, interspecies (animal-human) transmission of RVs occurs in nature, as observed in the present study in strains NB150, HSP034, HSP180, HST327, and RV10109. This study is the first to be conducted in the Amazon region and supports previous data showing a close relationship between genes of human and animal origin, representing a challenge to the large-scale introduction of RV vaccines in national immunization programs.
Virology Section, Instituto Evandro Chagas, Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde, Ministério da Saúde, Ananindeua, Pará, Brazil.
Régis Piloni
RP
Maestri
Jane Haruko Lima
JH
Kaiano
Darivaldo Luz
DL
Neri
Luana da Silva
Lda S
Soares
Sylvia de Fatima Dos Santos
Sde F
Guerra
Darleise de Souza
Dde S
Oliveira
Yasmin Nascimento
YN
Farias
Yvone Benchimol
YB
Gabbay
José Paulo Gagliardi
JP
Leite
Alexandre da Costa
Ada C
Linhares
Joana D'Arc Pereira
JD
Mascarenhas
D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001938:Brazil; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000821:virology*; D005814:Genes, Viral; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010802:Phylogeny; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D016865:Reassortant Viruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins / Q000235:genetics
D036022:Capsid Proteins; D012367:RNA, Viral; C069187:VP1 protein, Rotavirus; C060339:VP4 protein, Rotavirus; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins; C104282:nsp1 protein, Rotavirus