Emergence of human G9 rotavirus with an exceptionally high frequency in children admitted to hospital with diarrhea in Chiang Mai, Thailand

• Published in: Journal of medical virology Vol. 78; no. 2; pp. 273 - 280
• Main Authors: Khamrin, Pattara, Peerakome, Supatra, Wongsawasdi, Lumduan, Tonusin, Supin, Sornchai, Penpuck, Maneerat, Varunee, Khamwan, Chantana, Yagyu, Fumihiro, Okitsu, Shoko, Ushijima, Hiroshi, Maneekarn, Niwat
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01-02-2006; Wiley-Liss
• Subjects: Antigens, Viral - genetics; Biological and medical sciences; Capsid Proteins - genetics; Child, Preschool; Feces - virology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genes, Viral; genotyping; Group a rotavirus; Hospitals; Human rotavirus; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infectious diseases; Medical sciences; Microbiology; Miscellaneous; Molecular Sequence Data; NSP4; Rotavirus - classification; Rotavirus - isolation & purification; Rotavirus Infections - virology; sequence analysis; Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; Species Specificity; Thailand; Viral diseases; Virology; VP4; VP7; Thailand; Asia; Human; Typing; Rotavirus; Human rotavirus; genotyping; Diarrhea; Genotype; NSP4; Reoviridae; Virus; Emerging disease; Digestive diseases; Intestinal disease; sequence analysis; VP4; VP7; Child
• ISSN: 0146-6615; 1096-9071
• DOI: 10.1002/jmv.20536

Among 315 fecal specimens collected from children hospitalized with diarrhea in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in 2000–2001, group A rotavirus was detected in 107 (34.0%). Of these, 98 (91.6%) were G9, 6 (5.6%) were G3 and 3 (2.8%) were G2, respectively. Identification of their P‐types demonstrated that 103 (96.3%) were P[8], 3 (2.8%) were P[4], and 1 (0.9%) was P[3] genotypes. Determination of G‐ and P‐type combination revealed that all of G9 isolates were associated with P[8]. G9P[8] was the most predominant genotype and accounted for the majority (91.6%) of rotaviruses detected in this study. Molecular characterization of these G9 isolates demonstrated that all had long electropherotype, 96 of 98 (98.0%) belonged to subgroup II, one belonged to subgroup I and the other one was subgroup unidentifiable. All of G9 isolates possessed NSP4 genetic group B except for one isolate that showed dual genetic group specificities, B and C. The full‐length VP7 gene nucleotide sequences among 15 representatives of these G9 strains were found to be highly homologous with percent identities of 99.3%–100%. Comparison with other G9 strains recently isolated showed that their nucleotide sequences were closely related to those of the US strain, US1205 (98.7%–99.0%) and Thai strain, 97CM108 (98.1%–99.0%). Interestingly, they were most closely related to the Japanese strain, 00‐SG2509VP7, isolated in the same epidemic season, with percent nucleotide sequence identity of 99.4%–99.8%. The data imply that G9 strains isolated in this study and a G9 strain isolated in Japan in the year 2000 might have descended from the same ancestor. J. Med. Virol. 78:273–280, 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.