Diversity of Rotavirus VP7 and VP4 Genotypes in Northwestern Nigeria

Abstract

The high numbers of mixed rotavirus infections highlight the multitude of enteric pathogens to which children in African countries are exposed. Data on circulating rotavirus strains serve to inform African government officials to the serious health threat posed by rotavirus in their respective countries and to document the diversity of strains before vaccine introduction.

Circulation of group A rotaviruses among neonates of human, cow and pig: study from Assam, a north eastern state of India

“…The VP7 gene or nineth segment of RV genome encodes a glycoprotein that forms the outer surface of the virion and induces neutralizing immune responses during RV infections. This gene, targeted by RT-PCR amplified an expected band of 1062 bp for pig and human RV's; 1011 bp for cow RV strains and further confirmed the presence of RV in the studied species as been evidenced earlier too [2,25]. Circulations of RV in different susceptible host in a single geographical region therefore generate a potential possibility of zoonosis and thus provokes for reassortment of the viral strains consequently causing severe menace to vaccine failure.…”

“…This clearly connotes that RV transmission from animal origin to human population is maximum in close setting. The discontinuous RNA-PAGE was employed for RV strain grouping and studies also reported that this technique is another mostly used gold standard test for RV detection in faeces [2,5,11,16,24]. Analysis of electrophoretic mobility of the 11 segments of RV dsRNA by PAGE corresponded to the basic pattern of 4:2:3:2 typical for group A rotavirus (RVA).…”

“…are widely used. Presently, there are seven RV groups (A-G) and at least four subgroups (SGI, SGII, SGI?II, and SGnon-I/non-II) within group A that have been recognized [2]. The RNA segments separated on polyacrylamide gel generates that can be broadly divided into ''long,'' ''short,'' and ''abnormal'' RNA profiles, based on the relative migration of RNA segments [8].…”

Genotype diversity of group A rotavirus strains in children with acute diarrhea in urban Burkina Faso, 2008–2010

“…However, recent studies in developing countries have shown increased identification of a high proportion of rotavirus strains with unusual G/P combinations, which may have implications for vaccine efficacy [Gentsch et al, 2005;Santos and Hoshino, 2005;Todd et al, 2010]. Several studies conducted in Ghana, Ivory Coast and Nigeria, close neighbors of Burkina Faso, have reported the high incidence of unusual G/P genotype combinations with the emergence of G9 strains as important cause of gastroenteritis [Armah et al, , 2010aAkran et al, 2010;Aminu et al, 2010]. Currently, two rotavirus vaccines [Rotarix (GSK Biologicals, Rixensart, Belgium) and RotaTeq (Merck & Co. Inc., West Point, PA)] have been licensed and implemented in immunization programs for children in many countries in Americas and Europe [Ruiz-Palacios et al, 2006;.…”

Prokaryotic Expression of VP7 Gene and Subunit Vaccine Preparation of Bovine Rotavirus

“…Up to date, the rotavirus species comprises at least 27 G types (according to the nt sequence of VP7) and 37 P types (according to the nt sequence of VP4) [8,9]. VP7 protein (glycoprotein) and VP4 protein (for protease-sensitive protein) elicit the production of neutralizing antibodies, define the antigenic specificities, referred to as G type (glycoprotein) and P type (protease-sensitive protein), respectively, and are the major antigens neutralizing immune responses during rotavirus infections [10].…”