G and P rotavirus genotypes in stool samples from children in Teresina, State of Piauí

A total of 123 stool specimens collected in Teresina, Piauí between 1994 and 1996, from 0 to 2-year-old children with diarrhea, were used for this study. Molecular characterization of the G and P rotavirus genotypes was performed using the reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. The following results were obtained for the P genotypes: P[8] (17. 1 percent), P[1] (4. 9 percent), P[4] (3. 3 percent), P[6, M37] (2. 4 percent) and mixtures (27. 6 percent). The P[1]+P[8] mixture was found in 19. 5 percent of the samples. For the G genotypes, the results were: G1 (25. 2 percent), G5 (13. 8 percent), G2 (2. 5 percent), G4 (2. 5 percent), G9 (0. 8 percent) and mixtures (41. 5 percent). G1+G5 was the mixture most frequently found (12. 1 percent). Our results showed unusual combinations such as P[1]G5 and P[1]+P[8]G5. The high percentage of mixtures and unusual combinations containing mixtures of human and animal rotavirus genotypes strongly suggests the possibility of gene reassortment and interspecies transmission.

Um total de 123 amostras fecais de crianças de 0 a 2 anos com diarréia, coletadas em Teresina, Piauí, entre 1994 e 1996 foi utilizada neste estudo. Para a caracterização molecular dos genótipos G e P de rotavírus, foram realizadas as reações de transcriptase reversa e reação em cadeia pela polimerase. Os seguintes resultados foram obtidos para o genótipo P: P[8] (17,1 por cento), P[1] (4,9 por cento), P[4] (3,3 por cento), P[6, M37] (2,4 por cento) e misturas (27,6 por cento). A mistura P[1]+P[8] foi encontrada em 19,5 por cento das amostras. Para o genótipo G os resultados foram: G1 (25,2 por cento), G5 (13,8 por cento), G2 (2,5 por cento), G4 (2,5 por cento), G9 (0,8 por cento) e misturas (41,5 por cento). A mistura G1+G5 foi a mais freqüentemente encontrada (12,1 por cento). Nossos resultados mostram combinações não usuais como P[1]G5 e P[1]+P[8]G5. A alta porcentagem de misturas e as combinações não usuais contendo misturas de genótipos de rotavirus humanos e animais sugerem fortemente a possibilidade de rearranjo genético e transmissão interspecies.

Epidemiological Surveillance of P and G Genotypes of Group A Rotavirus Detected from Diarrheic Patients in Daejeon Region

During 3 years surveillance (January 2001 through December 2003) for acute gastroenteritis in human in Daejeon region, 432 out of 4,869 stool samples were selected as rotavirus-positive specimens by means of antigen-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The P (VP4) and G (VP7) genotypes for 432 stool samples were investigated by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and nested multiplex PCR. The most prevalent P subtype was P[8] (44.9%), followed by P[4] (25.7%) and P[6] (17.1%). No cases for P[10] and P[9] subtypes were found through the study. In G subtyping, G1 (53.2%) was the most frequently found G type, followed by G2 (23.1%), G3 (9.5%), G4 (6.7%), and G9 (0.9%). The order of detection rates for G2, G3 and G4 was variable by years. The most common G- and P- type combination found in this study was G1P[8] (33.1%), followed by G2P[4] (20.4%), G1P[6] (10.0%), G3P[8] (7.2%) and G4P[6] (4.2%). The mixed types of G and P were observed most frequently in P[8] (1.4%) and G1 (3.2%), respectively. This is the first molecular epidemiological study for Group A rotavirus in Daejeon region. The results might be useful data for evaluating the epidemiological status of rotaviral diarrhea in the region.