Abstract
In Mozambique rotavirus (RV) was shown to be the greatest cause of acute diarrhoea in infants from 0 to 11 months, and in 2015, national rotavirus vaccination was introduced. As with other developing countries, there is very limited active strain characterisation. Rotavirus positive clinical specimens, collected between 2012 and 2013, have now provided information on the genotypes circulating in southern Mozambique prior to vaccine introduction. Genotypes G2 (32.4%), G12 (28.0%), P[4] (41.4%) and P[6] (22.9%) (n = 157) strains were commonly detected with G2P[4] (42.3%) RVs being predominant, specifically during 2013. Phylogenetic evaluation of the VP7 and VP8* encoding genes showed, for the majority of the Mozambican strains, that they clustered with other African strains based on genotype. RVA/Human-wt/MOZ/0153/2013/G2P[4], RVA/Human-wt/MOZ/0308/2012/G2P[4] and RVA/Human-wt/MOZ/0288/2012/G12P[8] formed separate clusters from the other Mozambican strains with similar genotypes, suggesting possible reassortment. Amino acid substitutions in selected epitope regions also supported phylogenetic clustering. As expected, the VP7 and VP8* genes from the Mozambican strains differed from both the RotaTeq® (SC2-9) G2P[5] and Rotarix® (A41CB052A) G1P[8] genes. This study provides information on the genetic diversity of rotavirus strains prior to vaccine introduction and generates baseline data for future monitoring of any changes in rotavirus strains in response to vaccine pressure.
Highlights
Rotaviruses are one of the leading causes of severe-dehydrating diarrhoea in infants and young children
Rotaviruses are taxonomically classified within a genus of the Reoviridae family and contain an 11-segment doublestranded RNA genome
Between February 2012 and September 2013, a cross-sectional study was conducted at two sites in Mozambique; Mavalane General Hospital (MGH) in Maputo and Manhiça District Hospital (MDH) in the Manhiça district (Supplementary Material 1)
Summary
Rotaviruses are one of the leading causes of severe-dehydrating diarrhoea in infants and young children. The number of global deaths due to rotavirus infection in children under the age of five was estimated to be 215 000 in 2013; of these deaths, 56% occurred in Sub-Saharan Africa [1]. Rotaviruses are taxonomically classified within a genus of the Reoviridae family and contain an 11-segment doublestranded RNA (dsRNA) genome. The dsRNA segments encode six structural (VP1–VP4, VP6 and VP7) and six nonstructural (NSP1–NSP6) proteins. The structural viral proteins (VPs) are assembled in three concentric layers enclosing the genomic segments, the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (VP1) and the viral capping enzyme (VP3). The three capsid layers consist of 60 dimers of the inner capsid protein, VP2, 260 trimers of the middle layer protein, VP6, and 780 monomers of the glycosylated VP7 protein.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
