Molecular characterization of porcine rotavirus C in pigs with gastroenteritis in Thailand, 2011 – 2016

Inter-Department Program of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Graduate School, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
The Livestock Animal Hospital, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Nakorn Pathom, Thailand
Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
Center of Excellence in Clinical Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
Department of Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
DOI
10.7287/peerj.preprints.3515v1
Subject Areas
Molecular Biology, Veterinary Medicine, Virology
Keywords
Thailand, Molecular characterization, VP7, porcine rotavirus C, VP4, pigs
Copyright
© 2018 Tuanthap et al.
Licence
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, reproduction and adaptation in any medium and for any purpose provided that it is properly attributed. For attribution, the original author(s), title, publication source (PeerJ Preprints) and either DOI or URL of the article must be cited.
Cite this article
Tuanthap S, Phupolphan C, Luengyosluechakul S, Duang-in U, Theamboonlers A, Vongpunsawad S, Wattanaphansak S, Amonsin A, Poovorawan Y. 2018. Molecular characterization of porcine rotavirus C in pigs with gastroenteritis in Thailand, 2011 – 2016. PeerJ Preprints 6:e3515v1

Abstract

Swine are economically important food animals, but highly contagious enteric viruses can affect entire swine herds and contribute significantly to piglet morbidity and mortality. The most frequent viruses associated with pig gastroenteritis have been reported as porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) and rotavirus. Rotavirus is an important cause of diarrhea in piglets and pigs worldwide, and group A and C types are those that pig herds are mostly affected by. In Thailand, studies on rotavirus group A (RVA) have been reported continuously, whereas information on group C is still limited. In this study, we aimed to identify rotavirus group C (RVC) from the feces and intestinal contents of pigs affected with diarrhea. Seven hundred and sixty-nine samples were collected from swine herds located in difference provinces throughout Thailand. The specimens were tested using virus-specific RT-PCR to detect the gene encoding RVC capsid protein VP7 and VP4. Sequencing analyses showed that 6.6% (51/769) of samples were positive for RVC, one third of which tested as single positive for RVC (34/51). Co-infections with the most frequent enteric viruses, RVA and PEDV were also analyzed. Co-infections of RVA/RVC accounted for 21.6% (11/51) of samples and of PEDV/RVC for 7.8% (4/51) of samples, while three samples (5.9%) tested positive for all three viruses. Infections were not associated with seasonality, since the virus was detected throughout the year. RVC was detected in pigs up to 8 weeks old. Analysis of the partial VP7 gene sequences was suggestive that the predominant genotype was G1, which was closely related to the prototype Cowden strain. Due to P[5] was the most prevalent of VP4 genotype. This study demonstrated the low prevalence of RVC in Thailand, a virus not previously documented in this country.

Author Comment

This is a submission to PeerJ for review.

Supplemental Information

Multiple sequence alignments of the eight variable regions (VR1–VR8) in each RVC genotypes

Different colors correspond to hypervariable sites. Dashes indicate gap;. · indicates identical amino acids. The N-glycosylation site between residues 67 and 69 is presented in red. The color shading indicates the mutations among current strains and RVC prototype or reference strains (bold), whereas pink, purple, yellow, light blue, green, orange and turquoise colors stand for those residues located within VR-2 to VR-8, respectively. The whole VR-1 region and the first seven residues of the VR-2 region (between residues 31 and 37) were non-applicable.

DOI: 10.7287/peerj.preprints.3515v1/supp-1

The raw data of RVC detection

Total case submission, RVC positive case and RVC genotype (VP7)

DOI: 10.7287/peerj.preprints.3515v1/supp-2

Sequences for RVC VP7

Sequences for RVC VP7

DOI: 10.7287/peerj.preprints.3515v1/supp-3