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Serotype analysis of rotaviruses from different locations in Malaysia
N B Rasool1, K Y Green, A Z Kapikian
1Department of Genetics and Cellular Biology, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Abstract:
The distribution of rotavirus G (VP7) serotypes circulating in four locations in Malaysia, representing three geographical areas, was evaluated in 341 RNA-positive stool specimens obtained discontinuously between 1977 and 1988 from infants and young children under the age of five years who were hospitalized with acute gastroenteritis. A total of 306 specimens (256 stool suspensions and 50 that were adapted to growth in tissue culture) that were rotavirus positive by the confirmatory enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were examined for serotype by ELISA utilizing monoclonal antibodies to rotavirus G serotype 1, 2, 3, 4, or 9. One hundred eighty (59%) of the 306 specimens could be serotyped; of these 180 specimens, 71% were serotype 4, 15% were serotype 1, 4% were serotype 2, and 4% were serotype 3. Serotype 9 rotavirus was not detected. Most (71%) of the specimens tested were obtained in 1988, when serotype 4 predominated in three locations in West Malaysia; no single serotype was predominant in a limited number of specimens from East Malaysia.
Insights
Rotavirus G serotype 4 was the predominant strain in Malaysian children hospitalized with gastroenteritis between 1977 and 1988. This study tracked rotavirus G serotypes, finding serotype 4 in 71% of identified cases.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Rotavirus is a leading cause of severe gastroenteritis in young children globally.
- Understanding the distribution of rotavirus G serotypes is crucial for vaccine development and public health strategies.
- Previous data on rotavirus serotype prevalence in Malaysia during the specified period is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the distribution of rotavirus G (VP7) serotypes in Malaysia between 1977 and 1988.
- To identify the predominant rotavirus G serotypes causing acute gastroenteritis in hospitalized children under five years old.
- To compare serotype prevalence across different geographical locations within Malaysia.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 341 RNA-positive stool specimens from hospitalized children with acute gastroenteritis.
- Confirmation of rotavirus presence using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
- Serotyping of rotavirus G (VP7) using ELISA with monoclonal antibodies against serotypes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 9.
Main Results:
- Of 306 rotavirus-positive specimens, 180 (59%) were successfully serotyped.
- Rotavirus G serotype 4 was the most prevalent, accounting for 71% of typed specimens.
- Serotype 1 represented 15%, serotype 2 accounted for 4%, and serotype 3 for 4%.
- Rotavirus G serotype 9 was not detected.
- Serotype 4 predominated in West Malaysia in 1988; no single serotype was dominant in East Malaysia.
Conclusions:
- Rotavirus G serotype 4 was the dominant strain circulating in Malaysia during 1977-1988.
- The findings highlight the epidemiological shifts in rotavirus serotypes over time.
- Continued surveillance of rotavirus serotypes is essential for effective disease control and vaccine efficacy monitoring.