Worldwide rotaviruses A (RVA) are responsible for approximately 215,000 deaths annually among children aged less than 5 years. RVA G1P [8] remains to be associated with >50% of gastroenteritis in this age group. The aim of this study was to assess the genetic variability of G1P [8] strains detected in children with severe diarrhea in Belém, Pará, Brazil, during the postrotavirus vaccine introduction era. The phylogenetic analysis of the proteins VP4 and VP7 allowed to group 40 samples selected from 2009 to 2011 into lineages found to be different from the vaccine strains. As based on genomic constellations determined for these strains we identified reassortments between the genogroups Wa-like and DS-1-like (G1-P[8]-I1-R2-C1-M1-A1-N1-T2-E1-H1) and Wa-like and AU-1-like (G1-P[8]-I1-R3-C1-M1-A1-N1-T1-E1-H1). The antigenic epitopes present in the VP7 and VP4 amino acid residues denote differences and changes in electrostatic charges distribution, as compared to similar residues from Rotarix ® . These findings reflect the first structural analyses of the antigenic regions of VP7 and VP4 of the RVA G1P[8] in children with gastroenteritis in Northern Brazil raising the hypothesis that structural modifications over time at these sites may account for the emergence of new strains that could possibly pose a challenge to current vaccination strategies.

Acute gastroenteritis is one of the main causes of mortality in humans and young animals. Domestic and mainly wild animals such as bats, small rodents and birds are highly diversified animals in relation to their habitats and ecological niches and are widely distributed geographically in environments of forest fragmentation in some areas of the Amazon, being considered important sources for viruses that affect humans and other animals. Due to the anthropical activities, these animals changed their natural habitat and adapted to urbanized environments, thus representing risks to human and animal health. Although the knowledge of the global diversity of enteric viruses is scarce, there are reports demonstrating the detection of rotavirus in domestic animals and animals of productive systems, such as bovines and pigs. The present study investigated the prevalence of Rotavirus A in 648 fecal samples of different animal species from the northeastern mesoregion of the state of Pará, Brazil, which is characterized as an urbanized area with forest fragments. The fecal specimens were collected from October 2014 to April 2016 and subjected to a Qualitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR), using the NSP3 gene as a target. It was observed that 27.5% (178/648) of the samples presented positive results for RVA, with 178 samples distributed in birds (23.6%), canines (21.35%), chiropterans (17.98%), bovines (14.6%), horses (8.43%), small rodents (6.74%), pigs (3.93%) and felines (3.37%), demonstrating the circulation of RVA in domestic animals and suggesting that such proximity could cause transmissions between different species and the occurrence of rearrangements in the genome of RVA as already described in the literature, associated to the traces of environmental degradation in the studied areas.

No abstract

The present study reports the occurrence of rotavirus A (RVA), rotavirus D (RVD), rotavirus F (RVF), rotavirus G (RVG), and picobirnavirus (PBV) in fecal specimens of wild (n = 22), and exotic birds (n = 1) from different cities of Pará state. These animals were hospitalized at Veterinary Hospital of the Federal University of Pará, Brazil, in a period from January 2018 to June 2019. The animals exhibited different clinical signs, such as diarrhea, malnutrition, dehydration, and fractures. The results showed 39.1% (9/23) of positivity for RVA by RT-qPCR. Among these, one sample (1/9) for the NSP3 gene of T2 genotype was characterized. About 88.9% (8/9) for the VP7 gene belonging to G1, G3 equine like and G6 genotypes, and 55.5% (5/9) for the VP4 gene of P[2] genotype were obtained. In the current study, approximately 4.5% of the samples (1/23) revealed coinfection for the RVA, RVD and RVF groups. Furthermore, picobirnavirus (PBV) was detected in one of the 23 samples tested, and was classified in the Genogroup I. The findings represent the first report of RVA, RVD, RVF, RVG, and PBV genotypes in wild birds in Brazil, and due to wide distribution it can implies potential impacts of RVs, and PBVs on avian health, and other animals contributing to construction of new knowledge, and care perspectives.

A new strain of avian picornavirus was identified in fecal samples from broiler chickens in a commercial farm in the municipality of Benevides, Pará, Brazil. Genomic analysis showed it to have a nucleotide identity of 78.4% with the family Picornaviridae, genus Avisivirus, and species Avisivirus A, suggesting that this is a possible new strain within this species.

Our results show the first full-genome characterization of avian nephritis virus 2 recovered from stools of broiler chickens at a commercial farm located in Benevides, Pará, Brazil. Nucleotide analyses of whole-genome sequences showed the isolate to be a strain of Avastrovirus 2 in the family Astroviridae.

The present study reports the detection and molecular characterization of rotavirus A (RVA), rotavirus D (RVD), rotavirus F (RVF), rotavirus G (RVG) and picobirnavirus (PBV) in fecal specimens of wild and exotic birds (n = 23) from different cities of Pará state, which were hospitalized at Veterinary Hospital of the Federal University of Pará, Brazil, between January 2018 to June 2019. The animals exhibited different clinical signs, such as diarrhea, malnutrition, dehydration and fractures. The results showed 39.1% (9/23) of positivity for RVA by RT-qPCR. Among these, one sample (1/9) for the NSP3 gene of T2 genotype was characterized. About 88.9% (8/9) for the VP7 gene belonging to G1, equine-like G3 and G6 genotypes, and 55.5% (5/9) for the VP4 gene of P[2] genotype were obtained. In the current study, approximately 4.5% of the samples (1/23) revealed coinfection for the RVA, RVD and RVF groups. Furthermore, picobirnavirus (PBV) was detected in 1 of the 23 samples tested and was classified in the Genogroup I. The findings represent the first report of the circulation of RVA, RVD, RVF, RVG and PBV genotypes in wild birds in Brazil and suggest the possible interspecies transmission of RVs and PBVs.

This study aimed to detect picobirnavirus (PBV) in the fecal samples of wild and domestic animals from 2014 to 2016 in the Amazon biome. For detection, Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (PAGE) and RdRp gene based Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) preceded by Reverse Transcription (RT) were used. Subsequently, statistical analyses were performed using the Chi-square G test and nucleotide analyses for the construction of the phylogenetic tree. A total of 258 fecal samples from different animals, including birds (n=41) and mammals (n=217) were used. The PAGE test showed negativity for PBV genome in all samples while in the RdRp gene based RT-PCR test 32 samples showed amplification, corresponding to 12.4% (32/258) positivity. Among the positive samples, mammals, including pigs and cats, both with 28.12% (9/32), registered the highest frequencies, and in birds, the positivity was 4.9% (2/41). In phylogenetic analysis, eight sequences from positive samples grouped in the genogroup 1 of PBV (GI). The statistical test was significant for PBV in relation to the groups of animals studied (birds, mammals, and rodents), and in relation to the cities of origin of the samples, with a value of p <0.05. Nucleotide analysis demonstrated similarity among the feline group, but the absence of a defined structure between the clades. PBVs are highly widespread viruses that can affect the most diverse types of hosts in the Amazon biome.