Human infection with a P[14], G3 lapine rotavirus

Virology. 2004 Jul 20;325(1):11-7. doi: 10.1016/j.virol.2004.04.020.

Abstract

Group A rotaviruses are the main cause of severe diarrhoea in humans and animals throughout the world. We report the first description of a clinically apparent infection with a P[14], G3 rotavirus (strain B4106) in a hospitalized 6-year-old child. The VP7 gene of the B4106 strain had the closest sequence similarity (94% and 97% on the nucleotide and amino acid level, respectively) with strain 30/96 (P[14], G3), a lapine rotavirus isolated in an Italian rabbit in 1996 while the VP4 gene had the closest similarity with strain 30/96 on the nucleotide level (96%), and with lapine strains C-11 (P[14], G3) and Alabama (P[14], G3), isolated in the United States in the 1980s on the amino acid level (99%). The host restriction determinant gene NSP4 of B4106 was also most similar to lapine strain Alabama (95% nt identity and 97% aa identity). Phylogenetic analysis showed that the VP4, VP7, and NSP4 genes of the B4106 strain share a common evolutionary lineage with those of lapine rotavirus strains. We therefore hypothesize that a lapine rotavirus was able to cross the host species barrier and caused disease in a new host. The increasing detection of strains in humans that were previously believed to be restricted to animals raises questions whether interspecies transmission of rotaviruses is a common event in nature.

MeSH terms

  • Antigens, Viral*
  • Base Sequence
  • Capsid Proteins / chemistry
  • Child
  • Genotype
  • Glycoproteins / chemistry
  • Humans
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phylogeny
  • RNA, Viral / analysis
  • Rotavirus / classification*
  • Rotavirus Infections / virology*
  • Toxins, Biological
  • Viral Nonstructural Proteins / chemistry

Substances

  • Antigens, Viral
  • Capsid Proteins
  • Glycoproteins
  • NS28 protein, rotavirus
  • RNA, Viral
  • Toxins, Biological
  • VP4 protein, Rotavirus
  • VP7 protein, Rotavirus
  • Viral Nonstructural Proteins

Associated data

  • GENBANK/AY456382
  • GENBANK/AY456383
  • GENBANK/AY576006