Spread of the emerging equine-like G3P[8] DS-1-like genetic backbone rotavirus strain in Brazil and identification of potential genetic variants

Author(s)

Luchs, Adriana ^[1] ; da Costa, Antonio Charlys ^{[2, 3]} ; Cilli, Audrey ^[1] ; Vasconcelos Komninakis, Shirley Cavalcante ^{[4, 5]} ; Compagnoli Carmona, Rita de Cassia ^[1] ; Boen, Lais ^[1] ; Morillo, Simone Guadagnucci ^[1] ; Sabino, Ester Cerdeira ^{[2, 3]} ; Sampaio Tavares Timenetsky, Maria do Carmo ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Adolfo Lutz Inst, Virol Ctr, Enter Dis Lab, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Trop Med, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Infect & Parasit Dis, Coll Med, Lab Med Parasitol LIM 46, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[4] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Retrovirol Lab, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[5] Fac Med ABC, Postgrad Program Hlth Sci, Santo Andre - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: JOURNAL OF GENERAL VIROLOGY; v. 100, n. 1, p. 7-25, JAN 2019.
• Web of Science Citations: 5

Abstract

In 2013, the equine-like G3P{[}8] DS-1-like rotavirus (RVA) strain emerged worldwide. In 2016, this strain was reported in northern Brazil. The aims of the study were to conduct a retrospective genetic investigation to identify the possible entry of these atypical strains in Brazil and to describe their distribution across a representative area of the country. From 2013 to 2017, a total of 4226 faecal samples were screened for RVA by ELISA, PAGE, RT-PCR and sequencing. G3P{[}8] represented 20.9 % (167/800) of all RVA-positive samples, further subdivided as equine-like G3P{[}8], DS-1-like (11.0 %; 88/800) and Wa-like G3P{[}8] (9.9%; 79/800). Six equine-like G3P{[}8] DS-1-like samples were selected for whole-genome investigation, confirming the backbone I2 R2 C2 M2 A2 N2 T2 E2 H2. During 2013-2014, Wa-like G3P{[}8] was predominant and no equine-like G3P{[}8] DS-1-like was detected. Equine-like G3P{[}8] DS-1-like was first identified in Parana in March/2015, suggesting that the strain entered Brazil through the Southern region. Equine-like G3P{[}8] rapidly spread across the area under surveillance and displayed a marked potential to replace Wa-like G3P{[}8] strains. Brazilian equine-like G3P{[}8] DS-1-like strains clustered with contemporary equine-like G3P{[}8] DS-1-like detected worldwide, but exhibited a distinct NSP2 genotype (N2) compared to the previously reported Amazon equine-like G3P{[}8] DS-1-like strain (N1). Two distinct NSP4 E2 genotype lineages were also identified. Taken together, these data suggest that different variants of equine-like G3P{[}8] DS-1-like strains might have been introduced into the country at distinct time points, and co-circulated in the period 2015-2017. The global emergence of equine-like G3P{[}8] DS-1-like strains, predominantly in countries using the Rotarix vaccine, raises the question of whether vaccines may be inducing selective pressures on zoonotic strains. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 15/12944-9 - Investigating the evoltution of animal rotavirus strains infecting humans
• Grantee: Adriana Luchs
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 17/00021-9 - Viral metagenomics to track, explain and predict the transmission and spatiotemporal spread of Dengue and Chikungunya viruses in Brazil
• Grantee: Antonio Charlys da Costa
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 16/01735-2 - Viral metagenomics to track, explain and predict the transmission and spatiotemporal spread of Dengue and Chikungunya viruses in Brazil
• Grantee: Ester Cerdeira Sabino
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants