Group A rotavirus gastroenteritis in older children and adults at a hospital in southern India

There is limited data on the spectrum and prevalence of rotavirus genotypes in older children and adults in Asia. This pilot study conducted between November 2012 and April 2013 tested for rotavirus in older children (>12 years of age), and adults with gastroenteritis from southern India. Stool samples from patients who were hospitalized or attended out-patient units with diarrhea were screened for rotavirus using Premier (TM) Rotaclone (R). Confirmatory testing was by another antigen detection sandwich, in-house ELISA, based on capture by a polyclonal serum and VP6 PCR. Genotyping for VP7 and VP4 was done using hemi-nested PCRs for G- and P-types circulating in India. A total of 626 stool samples from older children and adults were screened and 52 (8.4%) were initially positive for rotavirus by antigen detection. A high proportion of samples (27/51) were found to be false positives on confirmatory testing. Of the 23 samples for which genotyping results were obtained, GIP[8] was the most common genotype. There was one each of G1P[6], G1P[4] and two strains of G9P[4] while one sample showed mixed genotypes of G2 and G9P[4]. This study shows that group A rotavirus is found in 3.8% of diarrheal specimens in older children and adults with gastroenteritis in southern India and that common genotypes circulate in children and adults. (C) 2014 Published by Elsevier Ltd.