Molecular Characterization of Human Rotavirus among Children with Acute Gastroenteritis in Ebonyi State

Abstract

Background: As the leading source of death for children under the age of five worldwide, diarrhea is second only to pneumonia. In Ebonyi State, it is a major contributor to emergency situations and elevated infant morbidity and mortality. When it comes to genotype-specific acute diarrhea in children, Group A Rotavirus is the most frequent viral etiologic agent, with different genotypes. The purpose of the research was to identify the most common rotavirus strains in circulation among children under 5 who were admitted to the hospital in Abakaliki with diarrhea. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted. In continuation of previous work by the same authors on prevalence and risk factors of rotavirus infection in children, RNA extraction was carried out, according to manufacturer’s instructions using appropriate extraction kit, on 75 stool samples that were positive for rotavirus infection by ELISA procedure, followed by polymerase chain reaction and genotyping. The produced products of different sizes were then examined under ultraviolet (UV) illumination. Results: The two most common G genotypes were G1 and G4 (42.5% and 38.4%, respectively). The most common P gene was P [8], which was followed by P [6] and P [4], both of which had a 5.5% prevalence. The two rotavirus types G1P [8] (11%) and G4P [8] (11%) made up the majority overall. Conclusions: The most common rotavirus types in circulation were G1, G4, P8, G1P [8], and G4P [8].