Evidence for zoonotic transmission of group C rotaviruses among children in Belém, Brazil

Abstract

The prevalence and potential zoonotic transmission of group C rotavirus (RVC) were examined by testing fecal samples collected from children during a longitudinal study that was carried out in the outskirts of Belém, Brazil, from December 1982 to March 1986. The study involved a group of 30 children who were followed from birth to 3 years. Of the 77 samples tested from 29 children, 5 (6.5%) were positive for human and 3 (4%) for porcine RVC by using nested PCR assay with primers specific for VP6 gene of human or porcine RVC and by Southern hybridization using a probe specific for VP6 gene of both human and porcine RVC. In addition, a total of 59 fecal specimens from the 30th child were tested, 1 (1.7%) and 14 (23.7%) were positive for human and porcine RVC, respectively. Partial nucleotide sequences of VP6 gene demonstrated that the six human strains detected in Brazil were homologous with other human RVC, and 14 of the 17 porcine RVC strains examined showed a complete homology among themselves but differed slightly from the porcine Cowden strain, suggesting that a single porcine RVC strain was circulating in Belém. This study is the first to provide evidence for transmission of RVC from swine to human. They also indicate that both human and porcine RVC were endemic in Belém.

Unexpected detection of porcine rotavirus C strains carrying human origin VP6 gene

“…Detection of human-like VP6 gene in PoRVCs is in agreement with the report of Gabbay et al (2008). It is possible that animals might serve as reservoir host for re-assortment of RVs from different host origin (Mascarenhas et al 2007;Gabbay et al 2008;Navarro et al 2017). RVC infection in pigs becomes more important as the main livelihood framework of rural and tribal population that dominates the northeastern states of India is piggery.…”

“…It is noteworthy that no human-like PoRVC is detected as of now (Jeong et al 2015) and also the zoonotic potential of PoRVC is not strongly supported by published literature as documented for PoRVA (Alfieri et al 1996). Detection of human-like VP6 gene in PoRVCs is in agreement with the report of Gabbay et al (2008). It is possible that animals might serve as reservoir host for re-assortment of RVs from different host origin (Mascarenhas et al 2007;Gabbay et al 2008;Navarro et al 2017).…”

“…The virus is detected with a very high prevalence (up to 78%) in neonatal piglets from the USA (Marthaler et al 2013). Relevance of RVC is being augmented because piggery constitutes the main livelihood framework of rural and tribal population in many developing countries along with the possibility of zoonotic potential as indicated in earlier studies (Iturriza-Gomara et al 2004;Gabbay et al 2008). Detection of porcine-type RV in bovine sample and bovine-type isolate in porcine sample (Jeong et al 2009) also support the possibility of species jumping or re-assortment events.…”

Analysis of the full genome of human group C rotaviruses reveals lineage diversification and reassortment

“…However, it should be considered that there is a limited number of sequences in the databases to confirm this hypothesis and that the RVC sequences released in databases are not representative of global RVC isolates. A possible zoonotic role of animal RVCs has been anecdotally suggested by both virological and serological investigations (Gabbay et al, 2008;Iturriza-Gómara et al, 2004), and therefore the possibility that animal RVC strains have acted as donors of genetic material for human RVCs can not be ruled out .…”

Canine rotavirus C strain detected in Hungary shows marked genotype diversity

“…Unlike RVA, which is commonly described as a zoonotic virus , there is little evidence in support of RVC strains being transmitted from one host species to another. Examples include the identification of porcine RVC-derived genes detected in human and bovine RVC strains detected in Brazil and Korea, respectively (Gabbay et al, 2008;Jeong et al, 2009). …”