Detection and characterization of human group C rotavirus in the pediatric population of Barcelona, Spain

Abstract 

Background

The role of group C rotavirus as a cause of childhood diarrhea is not well defined.

Objectives

To determine the prevalence of human group C rotavirus in stools of children in Barcelona, Spain, and to describe the genetic diversity of the rotavirus capsid proteins – VP6, VP7 and VP4 – in these samples.

Study design

Stool specimens were assayed for rotavirus C RNA by an RT-PCR/southern-blot technique that included controls to indicate the presence of inhibitors of RT-PCR in the samples.

Results

Human rotavirus C was detected in 3 of 467 samples. One hundred and forty-five (31%) of these samples showed the presence of inhibitors of the RT-PCR assay. Thus, the corrected estimation for detection of group C rotavirus in Barcelona was of 1%. The entire VP4, VP6 and VP7 sequences were determined for all three isolates, revealing the relatedness of two of them to strains circulating in Europe, while the third was very close to sub-Saharan African strains.

Conclusion

The low rate of detection of group C rotavirus suggests that it is not an emerging pathogen in children in our region.

Keywords: Human group C rotavirus, Capsid protein sequences, Molecular epidemiology, Internal positive control, Phylogenetic analysis