Characterization of Unusual Human Group A Rotavirus VP4 Genotype Detected in Moroccan Children Fully Vaccinated with Rotarix™
Characterization of Unusual Human Group A Rotavirus VP4 Genotype Detected in Moroccan Children Fully Vaccinated with Rotarix™
Hassan Boulahyaoui1,2*, Sanaa Alaoui Amine1,3, Marouane Melloul4, Farida Hilali5, Elmostafa El-Fahime1,3, Saad Mrani1,2 and Nadia Touil1,5*
ABSTRACT
Here we report the molecular characterization, antigenic disparities and the phylogenetic analysis of unusual human rotavirus VP4 genotype detected in Moroccan children fully vaccinated with Rotarix™. After RNA virus extraction, the rotavirus VP7 and VP4 genes were amplified. The DNA was purified, sequenced and genotypes were determined using the RotaC online classification tool. A phylogenetic tree was constructed using the Maximum Likelihood method applying the Tamura 3-parameter model in MEGA 6.06 package and statistically supported by bootstrapping with 1000 replicates. The amino acid sequences of the antigenic regions of the outer capsid proteins VP8* were compared with vaccine and field strains. Here we show that the VP4 gene of the P[14] strains detected in this study exhibited close identity with zoonotic Moroccan goat and bovine strains. The amino acid sequences of the antigenic regions inside VP8* proteins showed high conservation between the amino acid sequences of human and animal strains bearing P[14] proteins, and revealed several changes with respect to the RotaTeq™ and Rotarix™ vaccine strains. This report suggests a possible reassortment event between human and domestic animal rotaviruses. Continuous surveillance in the post vaccine era appears to be necessary in order to identify unusual rotavirus strains that might not be fully contrasted by current vaccines.
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