Distribution of rotavirus G and P genotypes approximately two years following the introduction of rotavirus vaccines in South Korea

Abstract

Genotyping of human rotaviruses was performed on 299 (40.1%) rotavirus-positive samples obtained from 745 children with acute diarrhea in three provinces in South Korea between March 2008 and February 2010, approximately 2 years following the introduction of the RotaTeq (September 2007) and Rotarix (July 2008). The most prevalent G genotypes were G1 (51.5%), followed by G3 (24.0%), G4 (15.4%), G9 (6.4%), and G2 (4.7%). The predominant types of P genotypes were P[8] (72.6%), followed by P[6] (19.1%) and P[4] (6.0%). The phylogenetic analyses of the VP7 genes of G9 strains revealed they were highly identical and belonged in lineage III. This study highlights the consistency of the predominant G1 genotype and slightly higher predominance of the identical G9 strains over the G2 genotype.

Keywords: RotaTeq; Rotarix; South Korea; genotypes; rotavirus.