title: The first detection and whole genome characterization of the G6P[15] group A rotavirus strain from roe deer.
abstract: Although rotaviruses have been detected in a variety of host species, there are only limited records of their occurrence in deer, where their role is unknown. In this study, group A rotavirus was identified in roe deer during a study of enteric viruses in game animals. 102 samples of intestinal content were collected from roe deer (56), wild boars (29), chamois (10), red deer (6) and mouflon (1), but only one sample from roe deer was positive. Following whole genome sequence analysis, the rotavirus strain D38/14 was characterized by next generation sequencing. The genotype constellation, comprising 11 genome segments, was G6-P[15]-I2-R2-C2-M2-A3-N2-T6-E2-H3. Phylogenetic analysis of the VP7 genome segment showed that the D38/14 rotavirus strain is closely related to the various G6 zoonotic rotavirus strains of bovine-like origin frequently detected in humans. In the VP4 segment, this strain showed high variation compared to that in the P[15] strain found in sheep and in a goat. This finding suggests that rotaviruses from deer are similar to those in other DS-1 rotavirus groups and could constitute a source of zoonotically transmitted rotaviruses. The epidemiological status of group A rotaviruses in deer should be further investigated.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Food Safety, Feed and Environment, Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Gerbičeva 60, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. Electronic address: urska.jamnikar@vf.uni-lj.si.
authors.forename: Urska
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Jamnikar-Ciglenecki
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology and Parasitology, Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Gerbičeva 60, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Urska
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kuhar
authors.affiliation: Institute of Food Safety, Feed and Environment, Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Gerbičeva 60, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Sabina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sturm
authors.affiliation: Institute of Food Safety, Feed and Environment, Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Gerbičeva 60, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Andrej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kirbis
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology and Systems Biology, National Institute of Biology, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Nejc
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Racki
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Zaloška 4,1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Andrej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Steyer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003670:Deer / Q000821:virology*; D005766:Gastrointestinal Contents / Q000821:virology; D014644:Genetic Variation; D016679:Genome, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
keywords: G6P[15]; Next generation sequencing; Phylogenetic analysis; Roe deer; Rotavirus