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. 2024 Mar:140:113-118.
doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2024.01.020. Epub 2024 Feb 1.

Identification of a novel intra-genotype reassortant G1P[8] rotavirus in Italy, 2021

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Free article

Identification of a novel intra-genotype reassortant G1P[8] rotavirus in Italy, 2021

Simona De Grazia et al. Int J Infect Dis. 2024 Mar.
Free article

Abstract

Objectives: Rotaviruses G1P[8] are epidemiologically relevant and are targeted by vaccines. The introduction of vaccines has altered rotavirus epidemiology. Hospital-based surveillance conducted in Sicily, Italy, showed a progressive decline in rotavirus prevalence since 2014, along with an increasing vaccine coverage (63.8% in 2020), and a marked decrease in circulation of G1P[8] strains. Surprisingly in 2021, G1P[8] viruses accounted for 90.5% (19/21) of rotavirus infections. This study aimed to understand if the increased activity of G1P[8]'s was related to virus-related peculiarities.

Design: In 2021, 266 patients <15 years of age were hospitalized with acute gastroenteritis (AGE) and included in rotavirus surveillance. Viral proteins (VP7 and VP4) genotyping and sequence data were generated from all rotavirus-positive samples. The genetic makeup of G1P[8] rotaviruses was investigated by full-genome sequencing.

Results: Peculiar G1P[8] rotaviruses, with VP7 and VP4 belonging to novel sub-lineages, circulated in 2021, accounting for 76.2% (16/21) of all rotavirus infections. On full-genome analysis, the novel G1P[8] variant displayed an intra-genotype (Wa-like) reassortant constellation, involving G12 and G1 strains, into a unique arrangement never observed before. The novel G1P[8] variant showed peculiar amino acid substitutions in 8-1 and 8-3 epitopes of the VP4 with respect to the Rotarix strain.

Conclusions: Prompt identification of virus variants circulating in the human population is pivotal to understanding epidemiological trends and assessing vaccine efficacy.

Keywords: G1P[8]; Italy; Phylogenetic analyses; Rotavirus.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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