Evidence of interspecies transmission and reassortment among avian group A rotaviruses

Abstract

Avian rotaviruses are broadly distributed among birds, but only scarcely characterized on the molecular level. The VP4-, VP6-, VP7- and NSP5-encoding sequences of eight group A rotaviruses from chickens and turkeys determined here indicate a low degree of sequence similarity with mammalian rotaviruses. An NSP6-encoding region was missing in all chicken isolates except for isolate Ch2. Four novel genotypes (P[30], P[31], G22 and H8) were assigned by the Rotavirus Classification Working Group. Generally, chicken and turkey isolates clustered into separate branches of phylogenetic trees. However, chicken isolate Ch2 consistently clustered together with turkey isolates. Chicken isolate 06V0661G1 has a VP4-encoding sequence of unknown origin, but possesses VP6, VP7 and NSP5 genotypes typical for chicken isolates. These results might indicate interspecies transmission and reassortment among avian group A rotaviruses under field conditions. PCR protocols enabling amplification of avian and mammalian group A rotaviruses were developed for use in further epidemiological studies.

Molecular epidemiology of rotaviruses in Bulgaria: annual shift of the predominant genotype

“…The VP7 glycoprotein and the VP4 protease-sensitive protein form the outer capsid; these elicit neutralizing antibodies and form the basis for the dual classification system for rotaviruses into G and P types [4]. To date, 22 G and 30 P types have been reported in humans, mammals, and birds [4][5][6]. Among these, only 11 G serotypes/genotypes and 12 P serotypes and 15 P genotypes have been found in humans [7][8][9].…”

“…Although the ability of rotavirus genes to segregate independently upon dual infection could, in theory, lead to 132 G-P combinations, five G and P combinations, G1P [8], G2P [4], G3P [8], G4P [8], and G9P [8], are epidemiologically important in human infections [10,11]. However, geographical and temporal differences exist in the distribution of G and P types and their combinations: P [6] in association with G1, G2, G3, and G9 and G8 in combination with P [8] and P [6] have been shown to be the second most detected P and G type in India and some parts of the African continent, respectively [11][12][13][14][15][16]. Recent studies have reported the emergence of uncommon G or P types (G5, G6, G10, G11, G12, P [3], P [7], P [9], P [11], and many more) in different countries [10,11,[17][18][19][20][21][22].…”

Detection of rotavirus VP7 gene in helmeted guinea fowls and Japanese quails in Ogun state, Nigeria

“…The detection of rotavirus in guinea fowls and quails also affirms its high diversity in infecting different breeds of birds which is evident with the interspecies transmission and zoonotic ability of the virus (Desselberger, 2014). The evidence of interspecies transmission and reassortment among avian group A rotaviruses has also been reported by Schumann et al (2009). Avian rotavirus has been established as the etiological agent of enteritis, replicating in intestinal epithelium, resulting in diarrhea and nutrient malabsorption causing an increase in feed conversion ratio (PantinJackwood et al, 2008).…”

“…It may also vary from a mild disease in young chickens to a more severe manifestation in 12 to 21-day-old chickens, characterized by unrest, litter ingestion; watery feces, wet litter, and severe diarrhea (Barnes, 1997). There are several evidence of interspecies cross transmission and reassortment among avian group A rotaviruses (Schumann et al, 2009;Johne et al, 2016). Thus, due to its isolation in various domesticated birds, it is possible that the virus occurs in different avian species in Nigeria because of the system of management of birds.…”

Next generation sequencing technologies: Tool to study avian virus diversity

“…Evidence of interspecies transmission and reassortment among avian group A rotaviruses has been reported (Schumann et al, 2009). NGS has been employed to characterise an avian group A rotavirus genome containing a novel viral protein (VP) 4 gene which is closely related to mammalian rotaviruses representing an avian/mammalian rotavirus reassortment (Trojnar et al, 2013).…”