Diarrhoea caused by rotavirus in a regional Peruvian hospital: determination of circulating genotypes.
BACKGROUND
Gastroenteritis caused by rotavirus is responsible for approximately 810 deaths per year in children under 5 years of age in Peru and emerging rotavirus genotypes have led to concerns regarding cross-protection by the vaccines available. Moreover, there are no reports on the molecular epidemiology of rotavirus diarrhoea in Peru.


METHODS
A total of 131 stool samples were obtained from children under 5 years hospitalised from January 2010 to December 2012 in the Hospital Regional de Cajamarca (Peru). ELISA and RT-PCR techniques were performed for rotavirus detection. G and P typing of rotavirus-positive samples were performed by semi-nested multiplex RT-PCR, and sequencing was performed to confirm the PCR results.


RESULTS
Of the 117 samples available, 22 (18.8%) tested positive for rotavirus by ELISA and 42 (35.9%) tested positive by RT-PCR. Among the G genotypes identified, G9 (35.7%; 15/42) and G12 (33.3%; 14/42) were the most prevalent, with the most common combination being G12/P[6] (23.8%; 10/42).


CONCLUSIONS
A high prevalence of the G12/P[6] genotype was detected. It is known that this genotype is not covered by the current vaccines available. More in-depth studies are needed to determine the current rotavirus genotypes presents in Peru.
Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas-UPC, Lima, Peru.
Pablo Weilg
PW
Espejo
Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas-UPC, Lima, Peru.
Fiorella Orellana
FO
Peralta
Dirección Regional de Salud de Cajamarca (DIRESA-Cajamarca), Cajamarca, Peru.
Hernán Cornejo
HC
Pacheres
Universidad Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), Barcelona, Spain.
Luis J
LJ
del Valle
Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas-UPC, Lima, Peru.
Angela Cornejo
AC
Tapia
Dirección Regional de Salud de Cajamarca (DIRESA-Cajamarca), Cajamarca, Peru.
Jorge Bazán
JB
Mayra
Barcelona Centre for International Health Research (CRESIB, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona), Barcelona, Spain.
Joaquim
J
Ruiz
Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas-UPC, Lima, Peru Instituto de Investigación Nutricional, Lima, Peru jdelvall@upc.edu.pe.
Juana Del Valle
Jdel V
Mendoza
D000208:Acute Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010568:Peru / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*
D012367:RNA, Viral
Acute gastroenteritis; Epidemiology; Peru; Rotavirus; Viral genotypes