Key result
Following rotavirus vaccine introduction in Slovenia, G1P[8] prevalence decreased from 74.1% to 8.7%, with circulating strains shifting to distant genetic lineages compared to the vaccine strain.
Observational (n=113)
The introduction of rotavirus vaccination in Slovenia was associated with a shift in circulating rotavirus genotypes and genetic divergence of G1P[8] strains from the vaccine strain.
Supports continued rotavirus strain surveillance post-vaccination; leaves open whether genetic divergence affects long-term vaccine effectiveness.
Rotavirus vaccination started in Slovenia in 2007 on a voluntarily basis. The vaccination rate is relatively low (up to 27%) and no increasing trend is observed. We present rotavirus genotype distribution among children hospitalized for rotavirus gastroenteritis in Slovenia. Eight consecutive rotavirus seasons were followed, from 2005/06 to 2012/13, and 113 strains of the most common rotavirus genotypes were randomly selected for molecular characterization of rotavirus VP7 and VP4 (VP8(∗)) genome segments. During the vaccine introduction period, from 2007 to 2013, rotavirus genotype prevalences changed, with G1P[8] decreasing from 74.1% to 8.7% between 2007/08 and 2010/11 seasons, replaced by G4P[8] and G2P[4], with up to 52.0% prevalence. Comparable analysis of VP7 and VP8(∗) genome fragments within G1P[8] genotype lineages revealed considerable differences for rotavirus strains circulating before and during the vaccination period. The G1P[8] rotavirus strains from the pre-vaccination period clustered in a phylogenetic tree within Rotarix®-like VP7 and VP8(∗) lineages. However, since 2007, the majority of G1P[8] strains have shifted to distant genetic lineages with lower nucleotide (88.1-94.0% for VP7 and 86.6-91.1% for VP8(∗)) and amino acid (93.8-95.2% for VP7 and 85.3-94.6% for VP8(∗)) identities to the vaccine Rotarix® strain. This change also resulted in a different deduced amino acid profile at the major VP7 and VP8(∗) antigenic epitopes.
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Steyer et al. (2014) conducted an observational in Rotavirus gastroenteritis (n=113). Vaccine introduction period vs. Pre-vaccination period was evaluated on Rotavirus genotype prevalence and genetic lineage shift. Following rotavirus vaccine introduction in Slovenia, G1P[8] prevalence decreased from 74.1% to 8.7%, with circulating strains shifting to distant genetic lineages compared to the vaccine strain.
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