Molecular Genotyping of Porcine and Human Group a Rotaviruses from Eastern India, Evidence of Interspecies Transmission

To determine the prevalence and molecular genotyping of group A rotavirus (RVA). A total of 121 samples were collected from piglets (n=81) and children (n=40) (upto the age of 6 months) affected with acute or chronic diarrhoea from West Bengal (latitude 21°38’N to 27°10’N, longitude 85°50’E to 89°50’E), eastern state of India during 2011-2012. Faecal samples were screened by RNA-PAGE and RT-PCR. Genotyping of RVA was performed by multiplex seminested PCR. Out of 121 diarrheic faecal samples, 13 (10.74%) were positive by RNA-PAGE and 15 (12.39%) were positive for RVA by VP6 gene-specific RT-PCR. All the RVA positive samples were genotyped by multiplex-RT-PCR to identify the G and P genotypes circulating in porcine and humans of this region. Out of the eight porcine RVA positive samples, G[x]P[6] was observed in four samples, G[x]P[11] in one sample, and G[x]P[1]P[11] in three samples. Whereas, all seven human RVA positive samples were genotyped as G1P[4]. This is the first report of P[11] genotype and P[1]P[11] mixed infection in piglets with gastroenteritis in India. The occurrence of interspecies transmission and mixed infection was observed in the present study.