Dataset Information

Detection and characterization of group C rotaviruses in asymptomatic piglets in Ireland.

ABSTRACT: Group C rotaviruses are important human enteric pathogens that have also been detected in a variety of mammalian species, including pigs. Group C rotaviruses have been identified in piglets with diarrhea, but their ecology remains to be elucidated. By screening of 292 fecal samples collected from 4- to 5-week-old asymptomatic pigs from four herds in Ireland between 2005 and 2007, 13 (4.4%) samples tested positive by reverse transcription-PCR for group C rotavirus. Group A rotaviruses were also detected in 19 samples but not in conjunction with group C viruses. The gene encoding the major group C neutralization antigen, the outer capsid protein VP7, was sequenced. The majority of the strains were very closely related to each other (>99% amino acid [aa] identity) and were characterized as genogroup G1 since they were genetically related to the prototype porcine strain Cowden (92.6% aa identity). Conversely, two strains (1GA/05/Cork/Ire and 281/07/Dublin/Ire) were characterized as genogroup G6 since they displayed the highest identity (89.2 to 94.0% aa) to porcine G6 strains (43/06-22-like). Unexpectedly, one such G6 strain, 1GA/05/Cork/Ire, lacked the 4-aa insertion in the VP7 variable region VR8 found in all the other G6 group C rotaviruses. This study provides evidence that porcine group C rotavirus may be detected not infrequently in asymptomatic piglets. In addition, it provides evidence that, unlike the human viruses, porcine group C rotaviruses display broad genetic heterogeneity, which may pose a challenge for the development of prophylactic tools.

SUBMITTER: Collins PJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2546720 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Detection and characterization of group C rotaviruses in asymptomatic piglets in Ireland.

Collins P J PJ Martella V V O'Shea H H

Journal of clinical microbiology 20080716 9

Group C rotaviruses are important human enteric pathogens that have also been detected in a variety of mammalian species, including pigs. Group C rotaviruses have been identified in piglets with diarrhea, but their ecology remains to be elucidated. By screening of 292 fecal samples collected from 4- to 5-week-old asymptomatic pigs from four herds in Ireland between 2005 and 2007, 13 (4.4%) samples tested positive by reverse transcription-PCR for group C rotavirus. Group A rotaviruses were also d ...[more]

PMID: 18632912

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Project description:Feces and serum specimens were collected from three farms in Michigan on which approximately 50-lb (8- to 9-week-old) pigs experienced diarrhea just after placement into all-in-all-out finishing barns. The clinical signs (profuse watery diarrhea lasting about 2 weeks and no vomiting) were similar on all farms, and the morbidity rate was high (ranging from 60 to 80%) but without mortality. Eleven diarrheic fecal samples from the farms were tested for group A and C rotaviruses by immune electron microscopy (IEM) and various assays. IEM indicated that the fecal samples reacted only with antiserum against group C rotaviruses, and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicated that the samples had characteristic genomic electropherotypes for group C rotavirus. Group C rotavirus was detected by cell culture immunofluorescence (CCIF) tests in nine fecal samples, but no group A rotavirus was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or CCIF. By reverse transcription (RT)-PCR, all 11 fecal samples were positive for group C rotaviruses, with only 2 samples positive for group A rotaviruses. However, a second amplification of RT-PCR products using nested primers detected group A rotaviruses in all samples. Analysis of nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of the RT-PCR product (partial-length VP7) of the group C rotavirus showed 87.2 to 91% nucleotide identity and 92.6 to 95.9% amino acid identity among two strong samples from the different farms and the Cowden strain of porcine group C rotavirus. All nine convalescent-phase serum samples tested had neutralizing antibodies to the Cowden strain, and the majority of them had neutralizing antibody against group A rotaviruses (OSU or/and Gottfried strains) by fluorescent focus neutralization tests. Although group C rotaviruses have been reported as a cause of sporadic diarrhea in suckling or weanling pigs, to our knowledge, this is the first report of epidemic diarrhea outbreaks associated with group C rotavirus in older pigs.

Project description:Group A rotaviruses (RVAs) are an important cause of diarrhea in young pigs and children. An evolutionary relationship has been suggested to exist between pig and human RVAs. This hypothesis was further investigated by phylogenetic analysis of the complete genomes of six recent (G2P[27], G3P[6], G4P[7], G5P[7], G9P[13], and G9P[23]) and one historic (G1P[7]) Belgian pig RVA strains and of all completely characterized pig RVAs from around the globe. In contrast to the large diversity of genotypes found for the outer capsid proteins VP4 and VP7, a relatively conserved genotype constellation (I5-R1-C1-M1-A8-N1-T7-E1-H1) was found for the other 9 genes in most pig RVA strains. VP1, VP2, VP3, NSP2, NSP4, and NSP5 genes of porcine RVAs belonged to genotype 1, which is shared with human Wa-like RVAs. However, for most of these gene segments, pig strains clustered distantly from human Wa-like RVAs, indicating that viruses from both species have entered different evolutionary paths. However, VP1, VP2, and NSP3 genes of some archival human strains were moderately related to pig strains. Phylogenetic analysis of the VP6, NSP1, and NSP3 genes, as well as amino acid analysis of the antigenic regions of VP7, further confirmed this evolutionary segregation. The present results also indicate that the species barrier is less strict for pig P[6] strains but that chances for successful spread of these strains in the human population are hampered by the better adaptation of pig RVAs to pig enterocytes. However, future surveillance of pig and human RVA strains is warranted.Rotaviruses are an important cause of diarrhea in many species, including pigs and humans. Our understanding of the evolutionary relationship between rotaviruses from both species is limited by the lack of genomic data on pig strains. In this study, recent and ancient Belgian pig rotavirus isolates were sequenced, and their evolutionary relationship with human Wa-like strains was investigated. Our data show that Wa-like human and pig strains have entered different evolutionary paths. Our data indicate that pig P[6] strains form the most considerable risk for interspecies transmission to humans. However, efficient spread of pig strains in the human population is most likely hampered by the adaptation of some crucial viral proteins to the cellular machinery of pig enterocytes. These data allow a better understanding of the risk for direct interspecies transmission events and the emergence of pig rotaviruses or pig-human reassortants in the human population.

Dataset Information

Detection and characterization of group C rotaviruses in asymptomatic piglets in Ireland.

Publications

Detection and characterization of group C rotaviruses in asymptomatic piglets in Ireland.

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