Detection of rare G3P[19] group A rotavirus in human patient, Italy

Abstract

Infection with a rare G3P[19] rotavirus A strain was identified in an immunosuppressed patient in Italy. The strain showed a P[19] viral protein 4 gene and a complete AU-1-like genomic constellation. Phylogenetic analyses showed high nucleotide identity between this strain and G3P[19] rotavirus A strains from Asia, indicating possible reassortment events.

Figure 1

Phylogenetic trees of rotavirus A (RVA) isolates based on the open reading frames of genes coding for the viral protein (VP) regions. A) VP1 (nt 73–390); B) VP2 (nt 1–425); C) VP3 (nt 44–880); D) VP7 (nt 48–1029); E) VP4 (nt 36–817); F) VP6 (nt 44–1326). The G3P[19] strain ROMA116 identified from the patient in Italy described in this article is highlighted with a black diamond. Trees were built with the maximum likelihood method and bootstrapped with 1,000 repetitions; bootstrap values <70 are not shown. Scale bars indicate nucleotide substitutions per site. Letters and numbers on the right indicate the specific gene genotype (http://rotac.regatools.be/classificationinfo.html).

Figure 2

Phylogenetic trees of rotavirus A (RVA) isolates based on the open reading frames of genes coding for the nonstructural protein (NS) regions. A) NS1 (nt 67–1087), B) NS2 (nt 47–1012), C) NS3 (nt 31–1049), D) NS4 (nt 49–660), and E) NS5 (nt 63–627). The G3P[19] strain ROMA116 identified from the patient in Italy described in this article is highlighted with a black diamond. Trees were built with the maximum likelihood method and bootstrapped with 1,000 repetitions; bootstrap values <70 are not shown. Scale bars indicate nucleotide substitutions per site. Letters and numbers on the right indicate the specific gene genotype (http://rotac.regatools.be/classificationinfo.html).