Australian Rotavirus Surveillance Program: Annual Report, 2021

Authors

  • Susie Roczo-Farkas Enteric Diseases, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria
  • Sarah Thomas Enteric Diseases, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria
  • Nada Bogdanovic-Sakran Enteric Diseases, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria
  • Celeste M Donato Enteric Diseases, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria; Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria; Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria
  • Eleanor A Lyons Enteric Diseases, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria
  • Julie E Bines Enteric Diseases, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria; Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria; Department of Gastroenterology and Clinical Nutrition, Royal Children’s Hospital, Parkville, Victoria
  • Australian Rotavirus Surveillance Group

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2022.46.75

Keywords:

rotavirus, gastroenteritis, genotype, surveillance, Australia, vaccine, G8P[8]

Abstract

This report from the Australian Rotavirus Surveillance Program describes the circulating rotavirus genotypes identified in children and adults during the period 1 January to 31 December 2021. During this period, 521 faecal specimens had been referred for rotavirus G- and P- genotype analysis, of which 474 were confirmed as rotavirus positive. Of these, 336/474 were wildtype rotavirus strains and 138/474 were identified as vaccine-like. Of the 336 wildtype samples, 87.5% (n = 294/336) were identified as G8P[8], and were detected in five of the six jurisdictions that provided samples for the reporting period. Two rotavirus outbreaks, located in the Northern Territory and Western Australia, were also attributed to G8P[8]. As with the 2020 reporting period, a low number of stool samples were received for this reporting period as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, an unexpectedly high proportion of samples with unusual genotypes were identified which were potentially zoonotic in nature, including feline G3, P[9], bovine-like G8, P[14], and porcine-like G4, G6, P[1], and P[6]. Ongoing rotavirus surveillance is crucial to identify changes in genotypic patterns and to provide diagnostic laboratories with quality assurance by reporting incidences of wildtype, vaccine-like, or false positive rotavirus results.

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Published

15/12/22

How to Cite

Roczo-Farkas, Susie, Sarah Thomas, Nada Bogdanovic-Sakran, Celeste M Donato, Eleanor A Lyons, Julie E Bines, and Australian Rotavirus Surveillance Group. 2022. “Australian Rotavirus Surveillance Program: Annual Report, 2021”. Communicable Diseases Intelligence 46 (December). https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2022.46.75.

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Vol. 46 (2022)

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Annual report

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