Naslov
Rotavirus A in red foxes and European jackals: high genetic diversity and the evidence of complex background of interspecies transmission events

Autori
Brnić, Dragan ; Čolić, Daniel ; Krešić, Nina ; Mihaljević, Željko ; Andreanszky, Tibor ; Balić, Davor ; Lolić, Marica

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, sažetak, znanstveni

Izvornik
Acta Microbiologica et Immunologica Hungarica / - , 2021, 62-62

Skup
6th Central European Forum for Microbiology

Mjesto i datum
Kecskemét, Mađarska, 13.10.2021. - 15.10.2021

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Predavanje

Vrsta recenzije
Međunarodna recenzija

Ključne riječi
Rotavirus A, red fox, European jackal, genetic diversity, molecular epidemiology, interspecies transmission, Croatia

Sažetak
Rotaviruses (RV) are widespread pathogens of public health importance, causing approximately 130000 deaths each year, mostly in children in developing countries. The importance of RV infections in animals is mainly observed in cattle and pigs since RVs are one of the main causative agents of neonatal diarrhea. On the other hand, the knowledge on rotavirus infections in wildlife is rather limited. Rotaviruses, a segmented dsRNA viruses, are members of the family Reoviridae, genus Rotavirus among which there are nine officially accepted species with Rotavirus A (RVA) being the most significant. Due to the segmented nature of the genome, genetic reassortment is driving RVA diversification, with the constant emergence of human-animal chimeric strains. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the prevalence, molecular epidemiology and genetic diversity of RVA strains in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and European jackals (Canis aureus moreoticus) in Croatia. To the best of our knowledge, our study is the first one focused on molecular epidemiology and genetic diversity of RVA strains circulating in foxes and jackals. From 2018 to 2021 we collected 533 and 70 fecal samples from red fox and European jackal carcasses hunted for rabies monitoring, respectively. The samples originated from 16 counties located in the Continental and Northern Adriatic Croatia. A VP2 real-time RT-PCR was applied on all samples, with positives being a subject for VP7 and VP4 genotyping. For the latter we employed several primer sets primarily due to the potentially high RVA diversity coupled with possibly lower efficiency of previously designed primers. All positive samples were Sanger sequenced which was followed by phylogenetic analysis using MEGAX software. RVA genotypes were defined by the BLAST search following previously defined cut-offs. The results reveal the RVA prevalence of 15% in foxes and 18.6% in jackals. The circulating RVA strains in foxes show a remarkable genetic diversity with 11 and nine different genotypes G and P, respectively. Among these are one and three tentative novel genotypes G and P, respectively. In jackals the genetic diversity was lower considering smaller sample set, with three genotypes G and four genotypes P found to be circulating. The results imply a complex background of previous interspecies transmission events, bringing a new perspective on the potential influence of foxes and jackals in the RVA epidemiology. Their role as potential reservoirs for the broad range of RVA genotypes, usually considered being typical for domestic animals and humans, could not be excluded. Our results show a remarkable genetic diversity which warrants further research in order to gain a complete perspective on the most prevalent RVA genotypes circulating in these species. The complex background of interspecies transmissions highlighted by the present study emphasizes the need for the continuous application of the One Health concept in rotavirus A research.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Veterinarska medicina

POVEZANOST RADA