Serotyping rotavirus by PCR method and electropherotyping by PAGE between 0-5 years old children

Rotavirus is the major cause of gastroenteritis between 0-5 years old children worldwide. To determine the prevalance of rotavirus infection between 0-5 years old children attended our hospital with acute gastroenteritis and to confirm the prevalent serotypes and electropherotypes in our region was aimed in this study.This study is conducted with the stool speciments of 251 children between 0-5 years old, attended our hospital from April 2009 to February 2010. Rotavirus antigen was detected by ELISA and dsRNA was extracted from the positive samples using phenol-chloroform-isoamyl alcohol method. Isolates were electropherotyped by PAGE. Serotypes G and P were determined by RT-PCR and Nested PCR.Fifty-three of the collected samples (21.1%) were ELISA positive. In 31(58.5%) and in 24(45.3%) of the samples G and P types were detected respectively. Serotypes G1(16.1%), G2(12.9%), G3(38.7%), G4(25.8%) and G9(6.5%) constituted G types and P[8]( 87.5%), P[6](8.3%) and P[9](4.2%) types constituted P types. The most predominant serotype was G3P[8](38.9%) among the identified G/P(34%) combinations. Four different electropherotypes were observed (43.4%) and the prevalance of E types were detected as; E1(43.5%), E2(43.5%), E3(4.3%) and E5(8.7%).In conclusion, it was observed that G1-4 and G9 types are stil prevalent in our region, but there is a transition from the prevalance of G1 to G3 and G4, also a decrease in G9 prevalance. Instead of previously circulated G1P[8], G3P[8] was detected as the predominant combination. Althougt all E types were visible in previous studies, only four E types were detected in our study. As a result of globalisation a diversion in the previously observed ratio was presented.Key words: Rotavirus, Serotype, PAGE, Electropherotype