Equine Rotavirus A under the One Health Lens: Potential Impacts on Public Health

Abstract

Group A rotaviruses are a well-known cause of viral gastroenteritis in infants and children, as well as in many mammalian species and birds, affecting them at a young age. This group of viruses has a double-stranded, segmented RNA genome with high genetic diversity linked to point mutations, recombination, and, importantly, reassortment. While initial molecular investigations undertaken in the 1900s suggested host range restriction among group A rotaviruses based on the fact that different gene segments were distributed among different animal species, recent molecular surveillance and genome constellation genotyping studies conducted by the Rotavirus Classification Working Group (RCWG) have shown that animal rotaviruses serve as a source of diversification of human rotavirus A, highlighting their zoonotic potential. Rotaviruses occurring in various animal species have been linked with contributing genetic material to human rotaviruses, including horses, with the most recent identification of equine-like G3 rotavirus A infecting children. The goal of this article is to review relevant information related to rotavirus structure/genomic organization, epidemiology (with a focus on human and equine rotavirus A), evolution, inter-species transmission, and the potential zoonotic role of equine and other animal rotaviruses. Diagnostics, surveillance and the current status of human and livestock vaccines against RVA are also reviewed.

Emergence of a Novel G4P[6] Porcine Rotavirus with Unique Sequence Duplication in NSP5 Gene in China

“…More than 230,000 deaths are attributed to RV each year globally [ 30 ]. It cannot be ignored that, as a major veterinary pathogen, RV significantly affects agricultural production, mainly involving weaning and post-weaning piglets, young calves, young sheep/goats as well as foals [ 31 ]. In a pig farm from the Guangdong Province of China, according to one previous study, the morbidity and mortality of RV were 60.00% and 20.99% in 2022, respectively [ 7 ].…”

Human Rotaviruses of Multiple Genotypes Acquire Conserved VP4 Mutations during Serial Passage

“…Predominant human rotavirus genotypes vary by geographic region, but historically G1P [8], G2P [4], G3P [8], G4P [8], G9P [8], and G12P [8] cause the majority of human disease [17]. In recent years, several less common rotavirus genotypes, including G1P [4], G2P [8], G9P [4], G12P [4], G8P [6], G8P [8], and G12P [6], have increasing epidemiological relevance in some parts of Africa, Asia, and South America [7].…”

“…Like influenza virus, rotavirus has a segmented genome, and can also reassort segments during co-infection (genetic shift) [ 5 ]. Evidence suggests there have been frequent rotavirus interspecies transmission events, sometimes with subsequent adaptation [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]. Together, genetic drift and shift promote evolution and can potentiate the emergence of antigenically novel rotaviruses and disease outbreaks in naïve populations [ 10 , 11 ].…”