Australian Rotavirus Surveillance Program annual report, 2015.

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Epidemiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Rotavirus is a leading cause of acute gastroenteritis in children globally.
• Vaccination has impacted rotavirus genotype circulation patterns.
• Continuous surveillance is crucial for understanding evolving rotavirus epidemiology.

Observation:

• The Australian Rotavirus Surveillance Program analyzed 1,031 rotavirus-positive samples from 2015.
• G12P[8] was the predominant genotype (48.2%), followed by G3P[8] (22.8%).
• Equine-like G3P[8] emerged as a notable strain (13.2%).

Findings:

• G12P[8] has been the dominant genotype for four consecutive years.
• Rotavirus genotype distribution differed based on the type of vaccine used (RotaTeq vs. Rotarix).
• G12P[8] was more prevalent in RotaTeq-using regions, while equine-like G3P[8] and G2P[4] were more common in Rotarix-using regions.

Implications:

• The findings highlight the dynamic and sometimes unexpected changes in rotavirus genotypes post-vaccine introduction.
• Understanding these shifts is vital for vaccine effectiveness monitoring and public health strategies.
• The emergence of novel strains like equine-like G3P[8] warrants further investigation.