Detection and molecular characterization of uncommon rotavirus group A genotype G12 among hospitalized children in Chennai

Özet

Human group A (RVAs) possess genetic diversity and often newer RVA strainshave been reported frequently with different G and P combinations worldwide.As the disease burden is more common in low income countries includingIndia, monitoring and detection of the circulating strains of rotavirus needsto be monitored to understand the genetic diversity of the strains whichevolve over time. This study was an attempt to provide data on rotavirusgastroenteritis prevalence in and around Chennai Tamilnadu-South Indiaduring the pre-vaccination era.Stool samples were collected and tested from 401 children less than fiveyears of age admitted to hospitals with acute gastroenteritis. The sampleswere subjected to amplification for VP7 and VP4 genes by using consensusprimers, followed by semi-nested type-specific multiplex PCR. Phylogeneticanalysis of VP7 genes of G12 were carried out and the variations betweenstrains isolated globally were documented.Rotavirus was detected in 167 (41.64%) samples and five were found tobe the uncommon G12P[6] genotype (2.99%) tested by RT-PCR followedby G1P[8], G9P[4], G9 with P untypable and G3P[8] and combinationsof G2G9P[6] and G9G2P[11] with few strains untypable. In this study wehighlight the occurrence of uncommon G12P[6] strain of rotavirus infectionin the community.Since rotavirus is transmitted through oral-fecal route and monitoring ofenvironmental cleanliness is mandatory to cease the spread of this deadliestviral agent to achieve our MDG-IV. Covering single genotype will have to bemodified with respect to the circulating stains.