title: Molecular epidemiology of rotavirus in cats in the United Kingdom.
abstract: Rotaviruses are leading causes of gastroenteritis in the young of many species. Molecular epidemiological studies in children suggest that interspecies transmission contributes to rotavirus strain diversity in people. However, population-based studies of rotaviruses in animals are few. We investigated the prevalence, risk factors for infection, and genetic diversity of rotavirus A in a cross-sectional survey of cats housed within 25 rescue catteries across the United Kingdom. Morning litter tray fecal samples were collected during the winter and summer in 2012 from all pens containing kittens and a random sample of those housing adult cats. Group A rotavirus RNA was detected by real-time reverse transcription-PCR, and positive samples were G and P genotyped using nested VP4 and VP7 PCR assays. A total of 1,727 fecal samples were collected from 1,105 pens. Overall, the prevalence of rotavirus was 3.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2 to 4.9%). Thirteen out of 25 (52%; 95% CI, 31.3 to 72.2%) centers housed at least one rotavirus-positive cat. The prevalence of rotavirus was associated with season (odds ratio, 14.8 [95% CI, 1.1 to 200.4]; P = 0.04) but not age or diarrhea. It was higher during the summer (4.7%; 95% CI, 1.2 to 8.3%) than in winter (0.8%; 95% CI, 0.2 to 1.5%). Asymptomatic epidemics of infection were detected in two centers. G genotypes were characterized for 19 (33.3%) of the 57 rotavirus-positive samples and P genotypes for 36 (59.7%). Two rotavirus genotypes were identified, G3P[9] and G6P[9]. This is the first population-based study of rotavirus in cats and the first report of feline G6P[9], which questions the previous belief that G6P[9] in people is of bovine origin.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom School of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, Wirral, United Kingdom allison.german@liv.ac.uk.
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: German
authors.affiliation: Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iturriza-Gómara
authors.affiliation: Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dove
authors.affiliation: Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sandrasegaram
authors.affiliation: University of Nagasaki, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakagomi
authors.affiliation: University of Nagasaki, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nakagomi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cunliffe
authors.affiliation: Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom School of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, Wirral, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Radford
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, Wirral, United Kingdom Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Morgan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D002415:Cats; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D014644:Genetic Variation; D060005:Genotyping Techniques; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012307:Risk Factors; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D012621:Seasons; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D036022:Capsid Proteins; D012367:RNA, Viral; C060339:VP4 protein, Rotavirus; C050779:VP7 protein, Rotavirus