Whole Genome Sequence Analysis of Porcine Astroviruses Reveals Novel Genetically Diverse Strains Circulating in East African Smallholder Pig Farms.

ABSTRACT: Astroviruses (AstVs) are widely distributed and are associated with gastroenteritis in human and animals. The knowledge of the genetic diversity and epidemiology of AstVs in Africa is limited. This study aimed to characterize astroviruses in asymptomatic smallholder piglets in Kenya and Uganda. Twenty-four samples were randomly selected from a total of 446 piglets aged below 6 months that were initially collected for rotavirus study and sequenced for whole genome analysis. Thirteen (13/24) samples had contigs with high identity to genus Mamastrovirus. Analysis of seven strains with complete (or near complete) AstV genome revealed variable nucleotide and amino acid sequence identities with known porcine astrovirus (PoAstV) strains. The U083 and K321 strains had nucleotide sequence id

SUBMITTER: Amimo JO 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7694451 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature