Co-dominance of G1 and emerging G3 rotaviruses in Hong Kong: A three-year surveillance in three major hospitals

• Published in: Journal of clinical virology Vol. 50; no. 4; pp. 325 - 333
• Main Authors: Mitui, Marcelo Takahiro, Chan, Paul K.S., Nelson, E. Anthony S., Leung, Ting Fan, Nishizono, Akira, Ahmed, Kamruddin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.04.2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Allergy and Immunology; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child, Preschool; Diarrhea - epidemiology; Diarrhea - genetics; Diarrhea - virology; Epidemiology; Feces - virology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genotype; Hong Kong; Hong Kong - epidemiology; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infectious Disease; Infectious diseases; Medical sciences; Microbiology; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Molecular Epidemiology; Phylogeny; Rotavirus; Rotavirus - classification; Rotavirus - genetics; Rotavirus - immunology; Rotavirus Infections - epidemiology; Rotavirus Infections - prevention & control; Rotavirus Infections - virology; Rotavirus Vaccines - administration & dosage; Seasons; Viral diarrhea; Viral diseases; Virology; Young Adult; Hong Kong; Asia; China; Molecular epidemiology; Rotavirus; Hong Kong; Viral diarrhea; Virus; Diarrhea; Digestive diseases; Intestinal disease; Genotype; Reoviridae
• ISSN: 1386-6532; 1873-5967; 1873-5967
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcv.2011.01.008

The World Health Organization recommends rotavirus vaccines be included in all national immunization programs as part of a strategy to control diarrhoeal diseases. Sentinel surveillance is advised to monitor impact post-vaccine introduction and to document changes in genotype distribution. To determine the molecular epidemiology of circulating rotaviruses in Hong Kong prior to implementation of universal rotavirus vaccination. From December 2004 through December 2007, 830 rotavirus-positive stool samples from subjects admitted for acute diarrhea to three major hospitals in Hong Kong were examined. The electropherotypes, and the G and P genotypes of these rotaviruses were determined. Phylogenetic analysis of the VP7 gene was performed. G3P[8] was the dominant genotype (46.1%), followed by G1P[8] (36.5%) and G9P[8] (9.2%). A total of 35 electropherotypes were identified. The G3 and G1 strains had high sequence similarities among themselves and were clustered with strains from Asia particularly mainland China. The G9 strains were clustered with the globally spreading strains. G12 and G4 were not found. The prevalence of rotavirus infection peaked in winter season when temperature was low, atmospheric pressure was high, relative humidity was low and rainfall was negligible. Genotype G3 and G1 were the dominant rotaviruses circulating in Hong Kong between 2004 and 2007. Strains were mainly related with those from mainland China. Ongoing surveillance of circulating genotypes should continue in anticipation of universal rotavirus vaccine introduction.