Epidemiology of rotavirus subgroups and serotypes in Belem, Brazil : a three-year study

• Autor(a) principal: Linhares, Alexandre da Costa
• Data de Publicação: 1988
• Outros Autores: Gabbay, Yvone Benchimol, Mascarenhas, Joana D'Arc Pereira, Freitas, R. B, Flewett, T. H, Beards, G. M
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Digital do Instituto Evandro Chagas (Patuá)
• Texto Completo: https://patua.iec.gov.br/handle/iec/3149
• topic: Rotavirus / classificação; Rotavirus / imunologia; Infecções por Rotavirus / epidemiologia; Sorotipagem

Rotavirus subgroups and serotypes were deterrnined in 61 rotavirus-positive faecal samples obtained from children living in Belém, Brazil, followed up from birth to 3 years of age. Fifty-five (90 %) of the specimens were subgrouped and the serotypes of 30 (49 %) of them were determined. Subgroup 11 was detected in 49 (89 %) of the 55 subgrouped strains. Serotype 1 was present in 15 (50 %) of the 30 serotyped samples; serotypes 2, 3 and 4 were found in 30 %, 3.3 % and 16.7 % respectively, of these specimens. Absence of Vp7, the major outer capsid glycoprotein, did not allow serotyping in 21 (34.4 %) of the 61 rotavirus-positive specimens, and an unidentifiable new serotype was found in faeces of one child. In addition, 4 samples were classified as subgroup 11 serotype 2 (which is very unusual). Twelve (80 %) of the 15 serotype 1 (subgroup 11) specimens were collected from children (5 of them asymptomatic) during their first year of life. AlI 9 serotype 2 (subgroups I, 11, or not determined) samples were detected during the second and third years of life, 7 (77.8 %) of them were related to apparent infections. The 5 serotype 4 (subgroup 11) samples were obtained throughout the study period, and were associated with both symptomatic (3 cases) and asymptomatic infections. Thirteen children had more than 1 rotavirus infection. Three had 3 successive infections. In 3 cases, the initial infection (either symptomatic or àsymptomatic) caused by serotype 1, was followed by a subsequent diarrhoeic episode associated with serotype 2.