RESUMO
Background and objectives: Rotavirus is the leading cause of viral gastroenteritis throughout the world and is associated with up to 600000 deaths worldwide every year, of which more than 150,000 occur in India. This study was undertaken to detect and analyze the human rotavirus A (RVA) isolates from Madhya Pradesh, central India, between 2007 and 2008.Methods: Forty diarrhoeic samples from children up to the age of 5 years, admitted or visited the hospital, were screened using RNA-viral electrophoresis (PAGE), reverse transcription (RT)-PCR and selected isolates were further analyzed by sequencing.Results and interpretation: Incidence of RV was 32.5% in children (13/40) and all the isolates showed a typical migration pattern of 4:2:3:2, suggestive of group A RVs. All the PAGE positive samples yielded positive amplification in RT-PCR, confirming them to be human RVA. The VP7 gene sequence analysis of the selected isolates (H-14 and H-16) identified as G1 type revealed that these isolates form a cluster with Indian G1 isolates (mani63-06 and mani 365-07) and strain from Bangladesh (DH378) with sequence identity of more than 97% at amino acid levels. Simplot and boot scan analysis showed no recombination with other G1 strains.Conclusions: The G1 was detected to be the predominant genotype in this area of the country, which is helpful in selecting the vaccine strain.