Distribution of Rotavirus Genotypes Circulating in Ahvaz, Iran in 2016

Group A rotavirus (RVA) mainly causes acute gastroenteritis, exclusively in young children in developing countries. The prevalence and determination of the molecular epidemiology of rotavirus genotypes will determine the dominant rotavirus genotypes in the region and will provide a strategy for the development of appropriate vaccines. Methods: A total of 100 fecal samples were collected from children below five years with acute gastroenteritis who referred to Aboozar Children’s Hospital of Ahvaz city during October 2015 to March 2016. All samples were screened by latex agglutination for the presence of rotavirus antigen. Rotavirus-positive samples were further analyzed by the semi-multiplex RT-PCR, and the sequencing was performed for G/P genotyping. Results: Findings showed that 32% of the specimens were RVA-positive. Among the 32 VP7 genotyped strains, the predominant G genotype was G9 (37.5%), followed by G2 (21.9%), G1 (12.5%), G12 (9.4%), G4 (9.4%), G2G9 (6.3%), and G3 (3.1%). Among the 31 VP4 genotyped strains, P[8] genotype was the dominant (62.5%), followed by P[4] (31.3%) and P[4] P[8] (3.1%). The genotypes for G and P were identified for 31 rotaviruses (96.87%), but only one strain, G9, remained non-typeable for the P genotype. The most prevalent G/P combination was G9P[8] (28.5%), followed by G2P[4] (18.8%), G1P[8] (9.4%), G12P[8] (9.4%), G4P[8] (9.4%), G2G9P[4] (6.3%), G9P[4] P[8] (3.1%), G3P[8] (3.1%), G9P[4] (3.1%), G2P[8] (3.1%), and G9P[nontypeable] (3.1%). Conclusion: A novel rotavirus strain, G12, was detected, for the first time, in patients from the southwest of Iran. Comprehensive investigations are required to evaluate the emergence of this strain.