Key result
Among 86 rotavirus-positive samples from diarrheic foals in Ireland, 67.5% contained G3 viruses and 30.2% contained G14 viruses, with an apparent shift from G3 to G14 observed in 2003.
Observational (n=86)
Yes
The study identifies G3P[12] and G14P[12] as the predominant equine rotavirus strains in Ireland, with an apparent shift towards G14P[12] observed in 2003, highlighting the need to monitor strain diversity for vaccine efficacy.
Equine rotavirus surveillance should continue; leaves open whether G14 shift affects vaccine efficacy.
Group A rotaviruses are important causative agents of severe, acute dehydrating diarrhea in foals. A total of 86 rotavirus-positive fecal samples, collected from diarrheic foals from 11 counties in three of the four provinces of Ireland, were obtained from the Irish Equine Centre in Kildare during a 7-year (1999 to 2005) passive surveillance study and were characterized molecularly to establish the VP7 (G type) and VP4 (P type) antigenic specificities. Fifty-eight samples (67.5%) were found to contain G3 viruses, while in 26 samples (30.2%) the rotaviruses were typed as G14 and in 2 samples (2.3%) there was a mixed infection, G3 plus G14. All samples except for two, which were untypeable, were characterized as P[12]. Fifty-eight percent of the samples were obtained from County Kildare, the center of the Irish horse industry, where an apparent shift from G3P[12] to G14P[12] was observed in 2003. By sequence analysis of the VP7 protein, the G3 Irish strains were shown to resemble viruses of the G3A subtype (H2-like) (97.1 to 100% amino acid [aa] identity), while the G14 Irish strains displayed 93.9 to 97.1% aa identity to other G14 viruses. In the VP8* fragment of the VP4 protein, the P[12] Irish viruses displayed high conservation (92.3 to 100% aa) with other equine P[12] viruses. Worldwide, G3P[12] and G14P[12] are the most prevalent equine rotavirus strains, and G3P[12] vaccines have been developed for prevention of rotavirus-associated diarrhea in foals. Investigations of the VP7/VP4 diversity of the circulating equine viruses and the dynamics of strain replacement are important for better assessing the efficacies of the vaccines.
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Collins et al. (2008) conducted an observational in Rotavirus-associated diarrhea in foals (n=86). Rotavirus strains was evaluated on VP7 (G type) and VP4 (P type) antigenic specificities. Among 86 rotavirus-positive samples from diarrheic foals in Ireland, 67.5% contained G3 viruses and 30.2% contained G14 viruses, with an apparent shift from G3 to G14 observed in 2003.
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