Detection and genetic characterization of porcine group A rotaviruses in asymptomatic pigs in smallholder farms in East Africa: Predominance of P[8] genotype resembling human strains

•Evidence of RVA circulating in asymptomatic piglets at high rates.•Age, management and pig density influenced the incidence of RVA infections.•A striking genetic heterogeneity of the RVA circulating in East African pigs.•Genetic similarities between the pig P[6] and P[8] strains and corresponding h...

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Published in:Veterinary microbiology 2015-02, Vol.175 (2-4), p.195-210
Main Authors: Amimo, J.O., Junga, J.O., Ogara, W.O., Vlasova, A.N., Njahira, M.N., Maina, S., Okoth, E.A., Bishop, R.P., Saif, L.J., Djikeng, A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Africa, Eastern - epidemiology
Animals
Asymptomatic pigs
Base Sequence
Diarrhea - veterinary
East Africa
Genome, Viral
Genotype
Group a rotavirus
Group A rotaviruses
Phylogeny
Prevalence
Rotavirus
Rotavirus - genetics
Rotavirus Infections - epidemiology
Rotavirus Infections - veterinary
Rotavirus Infections - virology
Swine
Swine Diseases - epidemiology
Swine Diseases - virology
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Summary:•Evidence of RVA circulating in asymptomatic piglets at high rates.•Age, management and pig density influenced the incidence of RVA infections.•A striking genetic heterogeneity of the RVA circulating in East African pigs.•Genetic similarities between the pig P[6] and P[8] strains and corresponding human strains A possible reassortment event between swine and human RVA strains.•Asymptomatic animals could serve as natural reservoirs/sources of new emerging genotypes in both animals and humans, especially in view of the close proximity between them in some geographic regions. Viral enteritis is a serious problem accounting for deaths in neonatal animals and humans worldwide. The absence of surveillance programs and diagnostic laboratory facilities have resulted in a lack of data on rotavirus associated diarrheas in pigs in East Africa. Here we describe the incidence of group A rotavirus (RVA) infections in asymptomatic young pigs in East Africa. Of the 446 samples examined, 26.2% (117/446) were positive for RVA. More nursing piglets (78.7%) shed RVA than weaned (32.9%) and grower (5.8%) pigs. RVA incidence was higher in pigs that were either housed_free-range (77.8%) or tethered_free-range (29.0%) than those that were free-range or housed or housed-tethered pigs. The farms with larger herd size (>10 pigs) had higher RVA prevalence (56.5%) than farms with smaller herd size (24.1–29.7%). This study revealed that age, management system and pig density significantly (p
ISSN:0378-1135
1873-2542
DOI:10.1016/j.vetmic.2014.11.027