TY - JOUR
T1 - Diversity and zoonotic potential of rotaviruses in swine and cattle across Europe.
AU - Midgley, Sofie E.
AU - Bányai, Krisztián
AU - Buesa, Javier
AU - Halaihel, Nabil
AU - Hjulsager, Charlotte Kristiane
AU - Jakab, Ferenc
AU - Kaplon, Jeérôme
AU - Larsen, Lars Erik
AU - Monini, Marina
AU - Poljšak-Prijatelj, Mateja
AU - Pothier, Pierre
AU - Ruggeri, Franco M.
AU - Steyer, Andrej
AU - Koopmans, Marion
AU - Böttiger, Blenda
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - Group A rotaviruses can infect both humans and animals. Individual rotavirus strains can
occasionally cross species barriers and might hereby contribute to the emergence of new
genotypes in heterologous hosts. The incidence and impact of zoonotic rotavirus are not
well defined, and one reason for this is a lack of data about strains circulating in suspected
reservoir animal hosts. In this study we report the incidence, genetic diversity, and
molecular epidemiology of rotaviruses detected in domestic cattle and swine in 6 European
countries. From 2003 to 2007, 1101 and more than 2000 faecal specimens were collected
from swine and cattle, both healthy and diarrhoeic, and tested for rotaviruses. Viruses from
positive stools were genotyped and a subset of strains was characterized by nucleotide
sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the VP7 (G) and VP4 (P) genes. Rotaviruses were
detected in 43% of bovine samples and in 14% of porcine samples. In cattle, 10 different
combinations of G and P types were identified and the most common strains were G6P[11]
and G6P[5]. In swine, the number of identified G–P combinations was higher (n = 21),
however, no single combination was predominant across Europe. Newly described
genotype specificities, P[27] and P[32], were identified in swine. When compared at the
nucleotide sequence level, the identified porcine rotavirus strains and contemporary
human strains grouped together phylogenetically, whereas bovine rotavirus strains
formed separate clades. These data demonstrate large genetic diversity of porcine and
bovine rotavirus strains across Europe, and suggest that livestock herds may serve as
potential reservoirs for human infections.
AB - Group A rotaviruses can infect both humans and animals. Individual rotavirus strains can
occasionally cross species barriers and might hereby contribute to the emergence of new
genotypes in heterologous hosts. The incidence and impact of zoonotic rotavirus are not
well defined, and one reason for this is a lack of data about strains circulating in suspected
reservoir animal hosts. In this study we report the incidence, genetic diversity, and
molecular epidemiology of rotaviruses detected in domestic cattle and swine in 6 European
countries. From 2003 to 2007, 1101 and more than 2000 faecal specimens were collected
from swine and cattle, both healthy and diarrhoeic, and tested for rotaviruses. Viruses from
positive stools were genotyped and a subset of strains was characterized by nucleotide
sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the VP7 (G) and VP4 (P) genes. Rotaviruses were
detected in 43% of bovine samples and in 14% of porcine samples. In cattle, 10 different
combinations of G and P types were identified and the most common strains were G6P[11]
and G6P[5]. In swine, the number of identified G–P combinations was higher (n = 21),
however, no single combination was predominant across Europe. Newly described
genotype specificities, P[27] and P[32], were identified in swine. When compared at the
nucleotide sequence level, the identified porcine rotavirus strains and contemporary
human strains grouped together phylogenetically, whereas bovine rotavirus strains
formed separate clades. These data demonstrate large genetic diversity of porcine and
bovine rotavirus strains across Europe, and suggest that livestock herds may serve as
potential reservoirs for human infections.
KW - Swine
KW - Rotavirus
KW - Cattle
KW - Europe
KW - Genotypes
U2 - 10.1016/j.vetmic.2011.10.027
DO - 10.1016/j.vetmic.2011.10.027
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 22079216
SN - 0378-1135
VL - 156
SP - 238
EP - 245
JO - Veterinary Microbiology
JF - Veterinary Microbiology
IS - 3-4
ER -