ROTAVIRUS GENOTYPING: A PROMISING DIAGNOSTIC TOOL OF RESEARCH FOR PEDIATRIC GASTROENTERITIS

Abstract

Every child in his early five years’ age usually suffers at least once with rotavirus diarrhea worldwide. Diagnosis of rotavirus diarrhea is carried out by various methods available worldwide: including electron microscopy, antigen detection, nucleic acid detection and amplification (PCR). However, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method for detection of rotavirus and its genotyping is considered as the gold standard diagnostic tool, and commonly used for determining the rotavirus gastroenteritis burden as well prevalence of virus type in children for surveillance and outbreak investigation. RT-PCR genotyping methods are also used as alternatives for rotavirus serotyping. Nested RT-PCRs are usually performed for rotavirus genotyping, in which extracted viral ribonucleic acid (RNA) from infected or suspected pediatric fecal specimens are processed for conserved region of viral genome. The PCR is performed by using consensus primers for the gene 9 and 4, responsible for expression of VP4 and VP7 consecutively. Rotavirus genotyping also helps in taking appropriate decision about the introduction and administration of rotavirus vaccines.