title: Rotavirus surveillance in Kisangani, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, reveals a high number of unusual genotypes and gene segments of animal origin in non-vaccinated symptomatic children.
abstract: Group A rotavirus (RVA) infections form a major public health problem, especially in low-income countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo (COD). However, limited data on RVA diversity is available from sub-Saharan Africa in general and the COD in particular. Therefore, the first aim of this study was to determine the genetic diversity of 99 RVAs detected during 2007-2010 in Kisangani, COD. The predominant G-type was G1 (39%) and the most predominant P-type was P[6] (53%). A total of eight different G/P-combinations were found: G1P[8] (28%), G8P[6] (26%), G2P[4] (14%), G12P[6] (13%), G1P[6] (11%), G9P[8] (4%), G4P[6] (2%) and G8P[4] (1%). The second aim of this study was to gain insight into the diversity of P[6] RVA strains in the COD. Therefore, we selected five P[6] RVA strains in combination with the G1, G4, G8 (2x) or G12 genotype for complete genome analysis. Complete genome analysis showed that the genetic background of the G1P[6] and G12P[6] strains was entirely composed of genotype 1 (Wa-like), while the segments of the two G8P[6] strains were identified as genotype 2 (DS-1-like). Interestingly, all four strains possessed a NSP4 gene of animal origin. The analyzed G4P[6] RVA strain was found to possess the unusual G4-P[6]-I1-R1-C1-M1-A1-N1-T7-E1-H1 constellation. Although the majority of its genes (if not all), were presumably of porcine origin, this strain was able to cause gastro-enteritis in humans. The high prevalence of unusual RVA strains in the COD highlights the need for continued surveillance of RVA diversity in the COD. These results also underline the importance of complete genetic characterization of RVA strains and indicate that reassortments and interspecies transmission among human and animal RVAs strains occur regularly. Based on these data, RVA vaccines will be challenged with a wide variety of different RVA strain types in the COD.
authors: Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors: Elisabeth
authors: E
authors: Heylen
authors: Department of pediatrics, University Hospital Kisangani, Kisangani, the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
authors: Bibi
authors: B
authors: Batoko Likele
authors: Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors: Mark
authors: M
authors: Zeller
authors: Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors: Stijn
authors: S
authors: Stevens
authors: Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors: Sarah
authors: S
authors: De Coster
authors: Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors: Nádia
authors: N
authors: Conceição-Neto
authors: Department of pediatrics, University Hospital Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors: Christel
authors: C
authors: Van Geet
authors: Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM), Antwerp, Belgium.
authors: Jan
authors: J
authors: Jacobs
authors: Department of pediatrics, University Hospital Kisangani, Kisangani, the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
authors: Dauly
authors: D
authors: Ngbonda
authors: Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors: Marc
authors: M
authors: Van Ranst
authors: Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors: Jelle
authors: J
authors: Matthijnssens
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015023:Democratic Republic of the Congo / Q000453:epidemiology; D005814:Genes, Viral; D016679:Genome, Viral; D005838:Genotype; D005843:Geography; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D058974:Phylogeography; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012367:RNA, Viral; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000266:history / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology*; D012621:Seasons; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral; D014765:Viral Vaccines