The distribution of Rotavirus G and P genotypes in children with acute gastroenteritis in Cukurova region, Turkey

Background: Rotavirus is the major cause of acute gastroenteritis in infants and young children worldwide. The aim of the study was to determine the frequency of rotavirus infection and the distribution of rotavirus G and P genotype combination among children under 5 years of age with acute gastroenteritis in Cukurova region, Turkey, between October 2009 and June 2010. Material and Methods: The stool specimens (n=846) collected from children with acute gastroenteritis were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for group A rotavirus antigen. Semi-nested multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test was performed for rotavirus G and P genotyping. Results: The rate of rotavirus infection was found to be in 144 patients (17%). The predominant rotavirus genotype was G1P[8] (22.2%), followed by G1P[4] (17.3%), G2P[4] (13.8%), G9P[4] (6.3%), G9P[8] (4.8%), G2P[8] (2.8%), G1P[10] (2.1%) and G4P[8] (1.4%). The most common G genotype was G1 (41.7%), followed by G2 (16.6%), G9 (11.1%) and G4 (1.4%). Rotavirus P[4] genotype was identified in 37.5%, P[8] in 31.2% and P[10] in 2.1% of samples. The prevalence of mixed rotavirus infections was 29.2% (n=42). Conclusion: Although the predominant rotavirus genotypes circulating during the study period in our region are targets of current rotavirus vaccines, uncommon, non-vaccine rotavirus genotype combinations such as G1P[4] and G9P[4], which might appear to be the result of mixed rotavirus infections with high rate (29.2%), were also detected. G1 is included in both recent rotavirus vaccines. The continuous investigation of molecular epidemiology of rotavirus infections is essential to evaluate the effectiveness of rotavirus vaccines.