title: Group a rotavirus and norovirus genotypes circulating in the northeastern Brazil in the post-monovalent vaccination era.
abstract: Group A rotaviruses (RVA) and noroviruses (NoV) are the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) worldwide. Childhood diarrhea deaths and hospital admissions have declined since the introduction of the monovalent (G1P[8]) vaccine (Rotarix(®) [RV1]) in the National Immunization Program in Brazil in 2006. This study aims to investigate the epidemiological profile of NoV and RVA infections from children with AGE in the Northeastern region of Brazil in the post vaccine season. Two-hundred fecal samples collected from children up to 10 years old in Fortaleza, Ceará between 2008-2009 were screened for the presence of RVA and NoV. Positive samples were genotyped and sequenced. The RVA screening revealed 12% prevalence and all RVA strains belonged to G2P[4] genotype. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 11 RVA genome segments sequenced from eight samples revealed a DS-1-like genotype constellation: I2-R2-C2-M2-A2-N2-T2-E2-H2. For NoV screening, the prevalence observed was 17% and the following genotypes were detected: GII.4 (59%), GII.12 (17%), GII.6 (9%), GII.3 (6%), and GII.? (9%). At least four different NoVs genotypes and two RVA G2P[4] variants were identified circulating in the Northeastern region of Brazil. RVA phylogenetic analysis suggests that the RVA G2P[4] strains might have originated from intragenogroup reassortment events. Whether the genetic modifications observed in these contemporary G2P[4] RVA strains may impact the long-term effectiveness of the current vaccination programs remains to be explored. These data reinforce the importance of surveillance for monitoring the emergence of new strains of RVA and NoV and their impact on cases of acute gastroenteritis.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Comparative and Environmental Virology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute- Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Caroline C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Sá
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Comparative and Environmental Virology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute- Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mariela M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Gómez
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedicine for Brazilian Semi-Arid & Clinical Research Unit, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ila Fernanda N
authors.initials: IF
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedicine for Brazilian Semi-Arid & Clinical Research Unit, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil.
authors.forename: Josiane S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Quetz
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedicine for Brazilian Semi-Arid & Clinical Research Unit, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Havt
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedicine for Brazilian Semi-Arid & Clinical Research Unit, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil.
authors.forename: Reinaldo B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Oriá
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedicine for Brazilian Semi-Arid & Clinical Research Unit, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil.
authors.forename: Aldo A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Comparative and Environmental Virology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute- Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: José Paulo G
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Leite
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D017250:Caliciviridae Infections / Q000821:virology*; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000209:etiology / Q000821:virology*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D016679:Genome, Viral; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D029322:Norovirus / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000235:genetics*; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D022243:Rotavirus Vaccines; D012621:Seasons; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014611:Vaccination; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated
chemical_list: D036022:Capsid Proteins; C492457:RIX4414 vaccine; D012367:RNA, Viral; D022243:Rotavirus Vaccines; C060339:VP4 protein, Rotavirus; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated
keywords: Acute gastroenteritis; Brazil; G2P[4] group A rotavirus; GII.4 norovirus; Phylogenetic analysis; Vaccine