Molecular evolution and genetic characteristics of G3P[3] group A canine rotavirus isolated in Wuhan, China

Abstract

Rotaviruses can infect multiple animal species and have the potential for cross-recombination based on the segmented genome characteristics. To study the intra-host recombination and zoonotic potential of group A canine rotavirus (CRV), 438 samples were collected from domestic dogs in six animal hospitals and from stray dogs from October 2019 to May 2021 in Wuhan, China. Seven of the samples were positive (7/438) for group A CRV from which a CRV strain was successfully isolated in MA-104 cells. The genotype of the isolated strain was characterized by whole-genome sequencing showing that the genotype was group A CRV G3P[3]. According to the Rotavirus Classification Working Group (RCWG), the genomic constellation of the isolated CRV was G3-P[3]-I3-R3-C3-M3-A9-N2-T3-E3-H6, which belongs to the AU-1-like group with gene segments of AU-1-like and Cat 97-like strains. Based on the phylogenetic analysis of the 11 gene segments, we found that the different segments of the isolated group A CRV were closely related to several reassortment rotaviruses from different animal sources and bat strains. Based on the analysis of the molecular evolution and genetic characteristics, we concluded that the isolated strain might be a reassortment strain. These data further enrich our understanding of rotavirus molecular evolution and genetic characteristics in China.

A Quadruplex Reverse Transcription Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction for Detecting Canine Coronavirus, Canine Rotavirus, Canine Parvovirus, and Canine Distemper Virus

“…A meta-analysis of 10,609 domestic dogs and 3604 CCoV-positive cases from eight provinces in China revealed that the pooled prevalence of CCoV infection was 33%, and CCoV-II was the predominant subtype [27]. The 438 dog samples from Wuhan in China during 2019-2021 had a positivity rate of 1.60% (7/438) for species A CRV [12]. Between 2012 and 2021, 516 fecal samples from dogs in Brazil showed a positivity rate of 0.6% (3/516) for species A CRV [13].…”

“…Furthermore, CPV shows high genetic variation, and variants of CPV can cause serious harm to dogs [9,10]; some variants of CPV can even infect felines besides canines [11]. The G3 group CRV's inter-species transmission to children has been reported in Italy and China [12,13], and its zoonotic potential is of special interest to public health. In addition, co-infection with these viruses exacerbates clinical signs and pathological damage to infected dogs [5,14,15].…”