Epidemiology of rotavirus subgroups and serotypes in Belem, Brazil: a three-year study

Rotavirus subgroups and serotypes were determined in 61 rotavirus-positive faecal samples obtained from children living in Belém, Brazil, followed up from birth to 3 years of age. Fifty-five (90%) of the specimens were subgrouped and the serotypes of 30 (49%) of them were determined. Subgroup II was detected in 49 (89%) of the 55 subgrouped strains. Serotype 1 was present in 15 (50%) of the 30 serotyped samples; serotypes 2, 3 and 4 were found in 30%, 3.3% and 16.7% respectively, of these specimens. Absence of Vp7, the major outer capsid glycoprotein, did not allow serotyping in 21 (34.4%) of the 61 rotavirus-positive specimens, and an unidentifiable new serotype was found in faeces of one child. In addition, 4 samples were classified as subgroup II serotype 2 (which is very unusual). Twelve (80%) of the 15 serotype 1 (subgroup II) specimens were collected from children (5 of them asymptomatic) during their first year of life. All 9 serotype 2 (subgroups I, II, or not determined) samples were detected during the second and third years of life, 7 (77.8%) of them were related to apparent infections. The 5 serotype 4 (subgroup II) samples were obtained throughout the study period, and were associated with both symptomatic (3 cases) and asymptomatic infections. Thirteen children had more than 1 rotavirus infection. Three had 3 successive infections. In 3 cases, the initial infection (either symptomatic or asymptomatic) caused by serotype 1, was followed by a subsequent diarrhoeic episode associated with serotype 2.