title: Distribution of G (VP7) and P (VP4) genotypes of group A bovine rotaviruses from Tunisian calves with diarrhoea.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the incidence, viral load and genetic diversity of bovine rotaviruses strains in Tunisia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 169 faecal specimens, collected from diarrhoeic calves from several farms located in the central eastern regions of Tunisia, between January 2006 and October 2010, were analysed by semi-nested multiplex RT-PCRs for P and G genotypes identification or were genotyped by DNA sequencing. Positive samples were tested by TaqMan real-time RT-PCR to quantify the viral load. Group A bovine rotaviruses were detected in 15·4% (26/169) of the total studied cases of diarrhoea. Overall, G10 was the predominant G type, detected in 12/26 samples (46·2%) and G6 accounted for 42·3% (11/26) while P[11] was the predominant P type, detected in 12/26 samples (46·2%). Two P[5] genotypes (7·7%) were found in the collection. Dual G or P combination and genotype G8 were not found. The most common VP7/VP4 combinations were G6P[11] (30·8%; n = 8) and G10P[11] (11·5%; n = 3). The combination G10P[14] was seen in one sample, and partial typing was assessed in 53·8% (n = 14) of the cases. The viral load determined by real-time RT-PCR showed an average of 1·68 × 10(9) genome copies/g of faeces.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Knowledge of P and G types could help us understand the relatedness of animal rotaviruses to viruses causing disease in humans.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first time that the viral load and P types of bovine rotaviruses have been determined in Tunisia, and this study contributes to a better understanding of the epidemiology of such viruses circulating in Tunisia. Nevertheless, continuous surveillance is necessary to detect the emergence of new variants.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Biological Agents, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia; National Reference Center for Enteric Viruses, Laboratory of Virology, CHU of Dijon, 2 Rue Angélique Ducoudray, University of Bourgogne, Dijon, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hassine-Zaafrane
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ben Salem
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sdiri-Loulizi
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kaplon
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bouslama
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Aouni
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sakly
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pothier
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aouni
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ambert-Balay
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D015994:Incidence; D010802:Phylogeny; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000235:genetics*; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012621:Seasons; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Bovine rotaviruses; Tunisia; diarrhoea; molecular genotyping