Researchers at University of Tokyo, Institute of International Health target rotavirus
2007 NOV 20 -- New research, 'Sequence analysis of Vietnamese P[6] rotavirus strains suggests evidence of interspecies transmission,' is the subject of a report. "Nucleotide and amino acid sequences of the VP8* gene of five Vietnamese P[6] rotavirus strains detected from hospitalized patients with acute gastroenteritis were analyzed and compared with other human and porcine P[6] rotaviruses. It is of interest that these strains had greatest identity with two Italian porcine rotavirus strains, 134/04-10 and 134/04-11," scientists in Tokyo, Japan report. "To our knowledge, these five Vietnamese rotaviruses are the rare P[6] rotavirus strains belonging to lineage I that cluster into sublineage Ic with porcine rotaviruses, and not into sublineage Ia, as other human P[6] rotaviruses have done so far. Sequence analysis of the VP7 gene of these P[6] rotavirus strains was also performed. The results showed that the Vietnamese G9P[6] strain had high similarity with other human G9 rotaviruses, confirming a human-animal reassortant virus, whereas other three G4P[6] strains had best identity with porcine G4 rotavirus strains, suggesting interspecies transmission of rotavirus between porcine and humans," wrote T.A. Nguyen and colleagues, University of Tokyo, Institute of International Health. The researchers concluded: "This result provides the important data on molecular characteristics of Vietnamese rotaviruses, and highlights interspecies transmission events of rotaviruses in Vietnam as well as in Asia." Nguyen and colleagues published their study in the Journal of Medical Virology (Sequence analysis of Vietnamese P[6] rotavirus strains suggests evidence of interspecies transmission. Journal of Medical Virology, 2007;79(12):1959-65). For additional information, contact T.A. Nguyen, The University of Tokyo, Dept. of Developmental Medical Sciences, Institute of International Health, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. The publisher's contact information for the Journal of Medical Virology is: Wiley-Liss, Division John Wiley & Sons Inc., 111 River St., Hoboken, NJ 07030, USA. Keywords: Japan, Tokyo, Immunization, Rotavirus Vaccine, Vaccination, Virology. This article was prepared by Life Science Weekly editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2007, Life Science Weekly via NewsRx.com.
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