title: Detection and characterisation of bovine rotavirus in Ireland from 2006-2008.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Worldwide, Group A bovine rotavirus (RVA boRV) is one of the main causes of neonatal calf diarrhoea. Currently, limited epidemiological and sequence data exists on the RVA disease in bovines in Southern Ireland only. The aim of the study was to generate epidemiological and sequence data of RVA boRV distributed over a wide geographical area in Ireland.
  
  
  RESULTS
  272 stool samples were obtained from symptomatic calves and analysed to identify the prevalent G and P genotypes. Viral type combinations including G6P[5], G6P[11] and G10P[11] genotype were the most frequently identified. The G6P[5] combination was predominant throughtout the study, accounting for 70% (n = 191). Sequence analysis of the VP7 gene revealed that Irish G6 strains fell within Lineage IV, similiar to previous reports in Ireland.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The detection of unusual G and P combinations may have an impact on rotavirus control programmes and current vaccines may need to incorporate new strains, as the current vaccine available may not offer protection against all of these circulating types.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Cork Institute of Technology, Rossa Avenue, Bishopstown, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.affiliation: UCD-Centre for Food Safety, School of Public Health, Physiotherapy & Population Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mulherin
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Cork Institute of Technology, Rossa Avenue, Bishopstown, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Olivia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Cashman
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Cork Institute of Technology, Rossa Avenue, Bishopstown, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Grainne
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lennon
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Cork Institute of Technology, Rossa Avenue, Bishopstown, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Lynda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gunn
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Cork Institute of Technology, Rossa Avenue, Bishopstown, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: O'Shea
authors.affiliation: UCD-Centre for Food Safety, School of Public Health, Physiotherapy & Population Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.|Herd and Veterinary Public Health Unit, School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: Séamus
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fanning
keywords: Bovine rotavirus; Epidemiology; Genotyping; Vaccine