title: Molecular characterization of equine rotaviruses isolated in Europe in 2013: implications for vaccination.
abstract: Equine group A rotavirus (RVAs) mainly cause disease in foals under the age of 3 months. Only sporadic data are available on the circulation of RVAs in equine populations in Europe. In this study, 65 diarrheic samples from foals under 4 months of age were collected in Belgium (n=32), Germany (n=17), Slovenia (n=5), Sweden (n=4), Hungary (n=3), Italy (n=2), France (n=1) and The Netherlands (n=1). Forty percent of these samples (n=26) were found to be RVA positive by a quantitative RT-PCR assay. The viral load in 11 of these samples was sufficiently high to be (partially) genotyped. G3, G14 and P[12] were the main genotypes detected, and phylogenetic analyses revealed that they were closely related to contemporary equine RVA strains detected in Europe as well as in Brazil and South Africa. Regional variation was observed with only G14 and P[12] being detected in Germany, whereas mainly G3P[12] was encountered in Belgium. Surprisingly the only G14P[12] RVA strain detected in Belgium was also found to possess the very rare P[18] genotype, which has been described only once from equine RVA strain L338 detected in the UK in 1991. Despite the identification of this uncommon P[18] genotype, G3P[12] and G14P[12] RVA strains remained the most important genotypes in Europe during the study period. Based on this finding and the knowledge that G3P[12] and G14P[12] serotypes are partially cross-reactive it can be assumed that a vaccine based on an inactivated virus of the G3P[12] genotype is still relevant in the current European epidemiological situation, although the addition of a G14 strain would most likely be beneficial.
authors: KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Laboratory of Clinical & Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Minderbroedersstraat 10, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: Jelle.matthijnssens@uz.kuleuven.ac.be.
authors: Jelle
authors: J
authors: Matthijnssens
authors: Zoetis Belgium S.A., Mercuriusstraat 20, B-1930 Zaventem, Belgium. Electronic address: Ellen.ons@zoetis.com.
authors: Ellen
authors: E
authors: Ons
authors: KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Laboratory of Clinical & Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Minderbroedersstraat 10, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: Sarah.decoster@uzleuven.be.
authors: Sarah
authors: S
authors: De Coster
authors: KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Laboratory of Clinical & Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Minderbroedersstraat 10, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: Nadia.daconceicaoneto@uzleuven.be.
authors: Nádia
authors: N
authors: Conceição-Neto
authors: Dierengezondheidszorg Vlaanderen, Industrielaan 29, B-8820 Torhout, Belgium. Electronic address: Annick.Gryspeerdt@dgz.be.
authors: Annick
authors: A
authors: Gryspeerdt
authors: KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Laboratory of Clinical & Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Minderbroedersstraat 10, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: Marc.vanranst@uzleuven.be.
authors: Marc
authors: M
authors: Van Ranst
authors: Zoetis Belgium S.A., Mercuriusstraat 20, B-1930 Zaventem, Belgium. Electronic address: Rudiger.raue@zoetis.com.
authors: Rudiger
authors: R
authors: Raue
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005838:Genotype; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D006736:Horses; D010802:Phylogeny; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000235:genetics*; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D014611:Vaccination; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D014765:Viral Vaccines
keywords: G14; G3; P[12]; P[18]; Rotavirus; VP4; VP7; Vaccine
references: J Clin Microbiol. 2008 Oct;46(10):3346-54
references: 18716232
references: Vet Res Commun. 2009 Jan;33(1):1-23
references: 18622713
references: Vet Microbiol. 2011 Mar 24;148(2-4):150-60
references: 20943330
references: Nihon Juigaku Zasshi. 1990 Oct;52(5):1049-56
references: 2177800
references: J Vet Med Sci. 1991 Dec;53(6):1079-80
references: 1790219
references: Vet Microbiol. 2010 Aug 26;144(3-4):461-5
references: 20197218
references: Am J Vet Res. 1980 Oct;41(10):1699-703
references: 6261616
references: Arch Virol. 2011 Aug;156(8):1397-413
references: 21597953
references: J Gen Virol. 2013 Jan;94(Pt 1):136-142
references: 23052396
references: J Gen Virol. 1991 May;72 ( Pt 5):1059-64
references: 1851806
references: Epidemiol Infect. 1996 Oct;117(2):375-83
references: 8870636
references: Acta Vet Scand. 2012 Nov 06;54:63
references: 23130609
references: Vaccine. 2013 Nov 19;31(48):5627-33
references: 23994380
references: Vet Microbiol. 2011 Apr 21;149(1-2):248-53
references: 21129862
references: J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1997 Jul 15;211(2):193-8
references: 9227750
references: J Gen Virol. 2012 Apr;93(Pt 4):866-875
references: 22190012
references: J Clin Microbiol. 1992 Feb;30(2):485-91
references: 1371520
references: Equine Vet J. 1991 Nov;23(6):405-9
references: 1663866
references: Dev Biol Stand. 1998;92:253-7
references: 9580371
references: Vet Microbiol. 2013 Nov 29;167(1-2):135-44
references: 23932076