title: Detection of a novel equine-like G3 rotavirus associated with acute gastroenteritis in Brazil.
abstract: Genotype G3P[8] of rotavirus A (RVA) is detected worldwide, usually associated with Wa-like constellation and exhibiting a long RNA migration pattern. More recently, a novel inter-genogroup, G3P[8] reassortant variant with a short electropherotype, has emerged in Asia, Oceania and Europe, denoting an overall potential of unusual rotavirus strains. During a RVA surveillance in Brazil, G3P[8] strains were found displaying a short electropherotype pattern, which had not been detected before in this region. This study aims to characterize the complete genome of 10 G3P[8] strains detected in the northern region of Brazil. All G3P[8] samples were subjected to partial sequencing, and the whole-genome phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that all strains possessed I2-R2-C2-M2-A2-N1-T2-E2-H2 genotype background, representing reassortants with an equine-like G3 VP7 and amino acid changes in VP4 and VP7 antigenic regions as compared to vaccine strains. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated high nucleotide identity in almost all RNA segments of G3P[8] DS-1 samples detected in Asia, Oceania and Europe as well as G3P[4] strains in Japan. This study reports a novel, equine-like G3P[8] strain circulating in Brazil and isolated from children hospitalized for severe gastroenteritis, and highlights the complex dynamics of RVA molecular epidemiology. Our findings point to a novel RVA strain emerging in this region, and studies should be done to detect whether this may represent a challenge to current vaccine strategies.
authors.affiliation: Evandro Chagas Institute, Health Surveillance Secretariat, Belém, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sylvia Fátima Santos
authors.initials: SFS
authors.lastname: Guerra
authors.affiliation: Evandro Chagas Institute, Health Surveillance Secretariat, Belém, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luana Silva
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.affiliation: Evandro Chagas Institute, Health Surveillance Secretariat, Belém, Brazil.
authors.forename: Patrícia Santos
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Lobo
authors.affiliation: Evandro Chagas Institute, Health Surveillance Secretariat, Belém, Brazil.
authors.forename: Edvaldo Tavares
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Penha Júnior
authors.affiliation: Evandro Chagas Institute, Health Surveillance Secretariat, Belém, Brazil.
authors.forename: Edivaldo Costa
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Sousa Júnior
authors.affiliation: Evandro Chagas Institute, Health Surveillance Secretariat, Belém, Brazil.
authors.forename: Delana Andreza Melo
authors.initials: DAM
authors.lastname: Bezerra
authors.affiliation: Evandro Chagas Institute, Health Surveillance Secretariat, Belém, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lívia Rodrigues
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Vaz
authors.affiliation: Evandro Chagas Institute, Health Surveillance Secretariat, Belém, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alexandre Costa
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Linhares
authors.affiliation: Evandro Chagas Institute, Health Surveillance Secretariat, Belém, Brazil.
authors.forename: Joana D'Arc Pereira
authors.initials: JDP
authors.lastname: Mascarenhas
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D016679:Genome, Viral; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D010802:Phylogeny; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D014764:Viral Proteins