Distantly Related Rotaviruses in Common Shrews, Germany, 2004-2014

Abstract

We screened samples from common shrews (Sorex araneus) collected in Germany during 2004-2014 and identified 3 genetically divergent rotaviruses. Virus protein 6 sequence similarities to prototype rotaviruses were low (64.5% rotavirus A, 50.1% rotavirus C [tentative species K], 48.2% rotavirus H [tentative species L]). Shrew-associated rotaviruses might have zoonotic potential.

Keywords: Germany; Sorex araneus; common shrew; diarrheal disease; enteric infections; epidemiology; next-generation sequencing; phylogeny; rotavirus; rotavirus A; rotavirus C; rotavirus H; shrews; tentative species; virus diversity; viruses; zoonoses.

Figure 1

Distribution of common shrews (Sorex araneus) collected at monitoring sites (9) and additional sites (10) in Germany, 2004–2014, positive and negative for RVA, RVC-like, and RVH-like species by reverse transcription PCR. Numbers in white circles indicate the number of negative samples at that collection site; white circles without numbers indicate 1 negative sample at that site. Circles with multiple colors indicate animals with co-infections. The collection sites of the 2 samples analyzed in detail by next-generation sequencing (KS/12/0644 and KS/11/2281; tricolored circles) are indicated. RVA, rotavirus A; RVC, rotavirus C; RVH, rotavirus H.

Figure 2

Phylogenetic relationship of shrew rotaviruses (bold), Germany, 2011–2012, with RVA–RVJ determined by using the deduced amino acid sequences of virus protein 1 (A), virus protein 6 (B), and nonstructural protein 5 (C). Trees were constructed by using a neighbor-joining method implemented in the MegAlign module of DNASTAR (https://www.dnastar.com) and a bootstrap analysis with 1,000 trials and 111 random seeds. Bootstrap values of >50% are shown. The rotavirus species, host, strain or sample designation, and GenBank accession number are indicated at each branch. Scale bars indicate amino acid substitutions per 100 residues. *Sequence incomplete at N terminus (≈70 aa residues missing) and C terminus (≈10 aa residues missing). †Sequence incomplete at N terminus (≈40 aa residues missing). Ca, canine; Ch, chicken; Hu, human; RVA, rotavirus A; RVB, rotavirus B; RVC, rotavirus C; RVD, rotavirus D; RVF, rotavirus F; RVG, rotavirus G; RVH, rotavirus H; RVI, rotavirus I; RVJ, rotavirus J; Si, simian.