title: Human P[6] Rotaviruses From Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia Are Closely Related to Those of Human P[4] and P[8] Rotaviruses Circulating Worldwide.
abstract: P[6] rotaviruses have been circulating with a high prevalence in African and, to a more limited extent, Asian countries, but they have not been highly prevalent in other parts of the world.
  
  
  
  To investigate the genomic relationship between African and Asian human P[6] rotaviruses and P[4] and P[8] rotaviruses circulating worldwide, we sequenced 39 P[6] strains, collected in Ghana, Mali, Kenya and Bangladesh, providing the largest data set of P[6] rotavirus genomes isolated in low-income countries or anywhere else in the world that has been published thus far.
  
  
  
  Overall, the data indicate that the genetic backbone of human P[6] strains from the low-income countries are similar to those of P[4] or P[8] strains circulating worldwide.
  
  
  
  The observation that gene segment 4 is the main differentiator between human P[6] and non-P[6] strains suggests that the VP4 spike protein is most likely one of the main reasons preventing the rapid spread of P[6] strains to the rest of the world despite multiple introductions. These observations reinforce previous findings about the receptor specificity of P[6] rotavirus strains.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Belgium.
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Heylen
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Belgium.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zeller
authors.affiliation: Vaccines-Clinical Research Department, Merck, Kenilworth, New Jersey.
authors.forename: Max
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ciarlet
authors.affiliation: Vaccines-Clinical Research Department, Merck, Kenilworth, New Jersey.
authors.forename: Jody
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lawrence
authors.affiliation: Vaccines and Immunization, PATH, Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: Duncan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Steele
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Belgium.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van Ranst
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jelle
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Matthijnssens
mesh_terms: D017954:Africa South of the Sahara / Q000453:epidemiology; D001210:Asia, Southeastern / Q000453:epidemiology; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D058974:Phylogeography; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017385:Sequence Homology
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral
keywords: P[6] genotype; clinical trial samples; complete genome analyses; epidemiology; gastrointestinal disease; group A rotavirus; vaccine-preventable diseases; zoonosis