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Diarrhoea caused by rotavirus in a regional Peruvian hospital: determination of circulating genotypes
Pablo Weilg Espejo1, Fiorella Orellana Peralta1, Hernán Cornejo Pacheres2
1Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas-UPC, Lima, Peru.
Insights
Rotavirus gastroenteritis causes significant child mortality in Peru. The study identified a prevalent G12/P[6] rotavirus genotype, which is not covered by current vaccines, highlighting the need for further research.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Molecular Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Rotavirus gastroenteritis is a major cause of mortality in Peruvian children under five.
- Emerging rotavirus genotypes raise concerns about vaccine effectiveness.
- Limited data exists on the molecular epidemiology of rotavirus in Peru.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the molecular epidemiology of rotavirus diarrhea in hospitalized children in Peru.
- To identify prevalent rotavirus genotypes and their combinations.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 131 stool samples from children under 5 hospitalized between 2010-2012.
- Rotavirus detection using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR).
- G and P genotyping performed via semi-nested multiplex RT-PCR with sequencing for confirmation.
Main Results:
- Rotavirus was detected in 35.9% of samples by RT-PCR.
- The most prevalent G genotypes were G9 (35.7%) and G12 (33.3%).
- The most common G-P genotype combination was G12/P[6] (23.8%).
Conclusions:
- A high prevalence of the G12/P[6] rotavirus genotype was identified in Peru.
- This genotype is not targeted by currently available rotavirus vaccines.
- Further research is crucial to understand the current landscape of rotavirus genotypes in Peru.
Background:
Gastroenteritis caused by rotavirus is responsible for approximately 810 deaths per year in children under 5 years of age in Peru and emerging rotavirus genotypes have led to concerns regarding cross-protection by the vaccines available. Moreover, there are no reports on the molecular epidemiology of rotavirus diarrhoea in Peru.
Methods:
A total of 131 stool samples were obtained from children under 5 years hospitalised from January 2010 to December 2012 in the Hospital Regional de Cajamarca (Peru). ELISA and RT-PCR techniques were performed for rotavirus detection. G and P typing of rotavirus-positive samples were performed by semi-nested multiplex RT-PCR, and sequencing was performed to confirm the PCR results.
Results:
Of the 117 samples available, 22 (18.8%) tested positive for rotavirus by ELISA and 42 (35.9%) tested positive by RT-PCR. Among the G genotypes identified, G9 (35.7%; 15/42) and G12 (33.3%; 14/42) were the most prevalent, with the most common combination being G12/P[6] (23.8%; 10/42).
Conclusions:
A high prevalence of the G12/P[6] genotype was detected. It is known that this genotype is not covered by the current vaccines available. More in-depth studies are needed to determine the current rotavirus genotypes presents in Peru.
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