Genetic Diversity of Human Rotavirus A Among Hospitalized Children Under-5 Years in Lebanon.

ABSTRACT: Human rotavirus remains a major cause of gastroenteritis worldwide despite the availability of effective vaccines. In this study, we investigated the genetic diversity of rotaviruses circulating in Lebanon. We genetically characterized the VP4 and VP7 genes encoding the outer capsid proteins of 132 rotavirus-associated gastroenteritis specimens, previously identified in hospitalized children (<5 years) from 2011 to 2013 in Lebanon. These included 43 vaccine-breakthrough specimens and the remainder were from non-vaccinated subjects. Phylogenetic analysis of VP4 and VP7 genes revealed distinct clustering compared to the vaccine strains, and several substitutions were identified in the antigenic epitopes of Lebanese specimens. No unique changes were identified in the breakthrough specimens co

SUBMITTER: Harastani HH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7054381 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature