Complete genotype constellation of human rotavirus group A circulating in Thailand, 2008-2011

This study has identified diverse and re-assorted group A rotavirus (RVA) strains by sequence and phylogenetic analysis of the 11 genomic segments. The 22 cases investigated in this study were collected from children with diarrhea between 2008 and 2011. The RVA genomic constellations identified in this study were identified as G1-P[8]-I1-R1-C1-M1-A1-N1-T1-E1-H1 22.7% (5/22); G2-P[4]-I2-R2-C2-M2-A2-N2-T2-E2-H2 27.3% (6/22); G3-P[8]-I1-R1-C1-M1-A1-N1-T1-E1-H1 18.2% (4/22); G3-P[9]-I3-R3-C3-M3-A3-N3-T3-E3-H6 4.6% (1/22); G9-P[8]-I1-R1-C1-M1-A1-N1-T1-E1-H1 9.1% (2/22); G12-P[6]-I1-R1-C1-M1-A1-N1-T1-E1-H1 4.6% (1/22) and G12-P[8]-I1-R1-C1-M1-A1-N1-T1-E1-H1 13.6% (3/22). Two RVA strains, possessing a complete AU-1-like genomic backbone, showed re-assortment for genes 3 and 11, revealing possible zoonotic re-assortment events between human and canine strains. In addition, one of the analyzed strains revealed a G12 specificity for VP7 in combination with a porcine-like P[6] VP4 and a complete Wa-like constellation. Continuous surveillance of rotavirus strains and their evolution may be useful for understanding the emergence of novel strains through interspecies genome re-assortment between human and animal viruses.