title: Emergence and spread of G3P[8] rotaviruses possessing an equine-like VP7 and a DS-1-like genetic backbone in the Basque Country (North of Spain), 2015.
abstract: In March 2015, an atypical G3P[8] rotavirus with an equine-like VP7 gene was detected in Gipuzkoa (Basque Country, Spain) and spread contributing significantly to the seasonal epidemic. The strain was identified in fecal samples collected from 68 patients, mainly children from rural and urban settings with acute gastroenteritis, representing 14.9% of the 455 rotavirus strains genotyped between July 2014 and June 2015. Seven patients (10.3%) were hospitalized. Full genome analysis of six of these strains revealed a DS-1-like genotype constellation, G3-P[8]-I2-R2-C2-M2-A2-N2-T2-E2-H2, and showed that most genome segments shared the highest nucleotide sequence identity with strains isolated in Japan, Thailand, Australia and the Philippines. The strains of Gipuzkoa were similar to novel G3P[8] reassortant rotaviruses with an equine-like VP7 gene and a DS-1-like genetic backbone that emerged in the Asia-Pacific Region in 2013. The study highlights the circulation of these atypical rotaviruses outside the Asia-Pacific Region of origin, and their emergence in a European Region. Due to their unusual genotype constellation, these strains pose a challenge for the rotavirus strain surveillance, since G-/P-typing, the most commonly used classification system, cannot identify this type of intergenogroup reassortants.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Department, Donostia University Hospital - Biodonostia Health Research Institute, San Sebastián, Spain.
authors.forename: Ainara
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arana
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Department, Donostia University Hospital - Biodonostia Health Research Institute, San Sebastián, Spain; Biomedical Research Centre Network for Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), San Sebastián, Spain.
authors.forename: Milagrosa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Montes
authors.affiliation: Institute of Infection & Global Health, University of Liverpool, Ronald Ross Building, Liverpool, UK; Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, University of Malawi, College of Medicine, Blantyre, Malawi.
authors.forename: Khuzwayo C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Jere
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Department, Donostia University Hospital - Biodonostia Health Research Institute, San Sebastián, Spain.
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alkorta
authors.affiliation: Institute of Infection & Global Health, University of Liverpool, Ronald Ross Building, Liverpool, UK; NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Gastrointestinal Infections, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: Miren
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iturriza-Gómara
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Department, Donostia University Hospital - Biodonostia Health Research Institute, San Sebastián, Spain; Biomedical Research Centre Network for Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), San Sebastián, Spain. Electronic address: gustavo.cillaeguiluz@osakidetza.eus.
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cilla
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D058872:Epidemics; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010802:Phylogeny; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014118:Toxins, Biological / Q000235:genetics; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D036022:Capsid Proteins; D006023:Glycoproteins; C081369:NS28 protein, rotavirus; D014118:Toxins, Biological; C060339:VP4 protein, Rotavirus; C061332:VP6 protein, Rotavirus; C050779:VP7 protein, Rotavirus; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins
keywords: Acute gastroenteritis; DS-1-like genetic backbone; Equine-like G3 rotavirus; European region; Human-equine G3P[8] rotavirus; Whole genome sequencing