OmniVira

Detection of an animal-derived G4P[6] group A rotavirus strain in a symptomatic child, in Italy.

Giovanni Ianiro1 Roberto Micolano2 Michela Conte2 Michele Labianca3 Gabriele Vaccari2 Marina Monini2
Affiliations 3 institutions
  1. Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
  2. Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
  3. Unit of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Public Health, ASL-Potenza, Villa D'Agri (PZ), Italy.
PMID30423360 DOI10.1016/j.virusres.2018.11.003 Year2019 Journal Virus research Virus Res Languageeng Publication statusActive
Active Last checked 2026-10-06 03:30:28 Source: NCBI PubMed

Abstract

During 2017, a G4P[6] group A rotavirus strain was identified in the feces of an Italian child hospitalized for acute gastroenteritis in Southern Italy. Nucleotide sequencing of the 11 genomic segments, revealed the G4-P[6]-I1-R1-C1-M1-A1-N1-T1-E1-H1 genotype constellation. Phylogenetic analyses of the gene segments investigated revealed high nucleotide sequence identities with G4P[6] RVA strains detected previously in pigs and in humans. The human strains related to the Italian G4P[6] were mainly reported from Asia, and were detected after an inter-species transmission event from swine. This study reports the genotyping and phylogenetic analysis of a G4P[6] RVA strain presenting a genomic constellation never detected before in Italy. In addition, this strain was able to cause AGE symptoms in a healthy child, successively hospitalized. The molecular characterization suggested zoonotic origin and inter-species transmission of this strain from swine, living open the possibility of its importation from abroad.

Supporting text Virus Host Location
Diarrhea 35 G4P[6] 3 Human 14 Italy 23 Rotavirus 67 Swine 271 Genotype 142 Animals 1981 Child 42 Feces 117 Gastroenteritis 14 Humans 1455 Italy 21 Phylogeny 826 RNA, Viral 194 Rotavirus 66 Rotavirus Infections 62 Sequence Analysis, DNA 113 Sequence Homology 21 Zoonoses 401

Evidence records

3 total
Zoonotic Surveillance
2 records · 1 evidence types
Evidence type Viral Detection
2 records
OVE3136 Viral Detection
Key finding

A G4P[6] group A rotavirus strain was detected in the feces of an Italian child hospitalized for acute gastroenteritis in Southern Italy during 2017.

Virus
Rotavirus A
Host
human Homo sapiens Natural host
Location
Italy
Supporting text

During 2017, a G4P[6] group A rotavirus strain was identified in the feces of an Italian child hospitalized for acute gastroenteritis in Southern Italy.

Method
nucleotide sequencing | genotyping | phylogenetic analysis
Sample type
feces
Geographic raw
Southern Italy
Country inferred
ITA
OVE3138 Viral Detection
Key finding

A G4P[6] group A rotavirus detected in a symptomatic Italian child was derived from swine, indicating an animal‑to‑human spillover event.

Virus
Rotavirus A
Host
pig Sus scrofa Natural host human Homo sapiens Natural host
Location
Asia Italy
Supporting text

The human strains related to the Italian G4P[6] were mainly reported from Asia, and were detected after an inter‑species transmission event from swine.

Method
nucleotide sequencing | phylogenetic analysis
Geographic raw
Asia | Italy
Genomic Evolution
1 records · 1 evidence types
Evidence type Phylogenetic Evolution
1 records
OVE3137 Phylogenetic Evolution
Key finding

Phylogenetic analyses showed that the Italian G4P[6] group A rotavirus strain clustered closely with G4P[6] strains previously detected in pigs and humans, indicating close evolutionary relatedness.

Virus
Rotavirus A
Host
pig Sus scrofa Natural host human Homo sapiens Natural host
Location
Not specified
Supporting text

Phylogenetic analyses of the gene segments investigated revealed high nucleotide sequence identities with G4P[6] RVA strains detected previously in pigs and in humans.

Genes or proteins
gene segments
Analysis methods
phylogenetic analysis