Molecular characterisation of a bovine-like rotavirus detected from a giraffe

Authors

Emily Mulherin, Herd and Veterinary Public Health Unit, Centres for Food Safety & Food-Borne Zoonomics, UCD Veterinary Sciences Centre, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
Jill Bryan, Herd and Veterinary Public Health Unit, Centres for Food Safety & Food-Borne Zoonomics, UCD Veterinary Sciences Centre, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
Marijke Beltman, Herd and Veterinary Public Health Unit, Centres for Food Safety & Food-Borne Zoonomics, UCD Veterinary Sciences Centre, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
Luke O'Grady, Herd and Veterinary Public Health Unit, Centres for Food Safety & Food-Borne Zoonomics, UCD Veterinary Sciences Centre, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
Eugene Pidgeon, National Virus Reference Laboratory, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
Lucie Garon, School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
Andrew Lloyd, School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
John Bainbridge, Dublin Zoological Gardens, Phoenix Park, Dublin 3, Ireland
Helen O'Shea, Department of Biological Sciences, Cork Institute of Technology, Rossa Ave, Bishopstown, Cork, Ireland
Paul Whyte, Herd and Veterinary Public Health Unit, Centres for Food Safety & Food-Borne Zoonomics, UCD Veterinary Sciences Centre, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
Séamus Fanning, Herd and Veterinary Public Health Unit, Centres for Food Safety & Food-Borne Zoonomics, UCD Veterinary Sciences Centre, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland

Document Type

Article

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Disciplines

Biochemistry | Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology | Bioinformatics | Biology | Biotechnology | Genetics and Genomics | Molecular Biology | Virology | Virus Diseases

Publication Details

BMC Veterinary Research

Abstract

Background

Rotavirus (RV), is a member of the Reoviridae family and an important etiological agent of acute viral gastroenteritis in the young. Rotaviruses have a wide host range infecting a broad range of animal species, however little is known about rotavirus infection in exotic animals. In this paper we report the first characterisation of a RV strain from a giraffe calf.

Results

This report describes the identification and detailed molecular characterisation of a rotavirus strain detected from a 14-day-old Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis), presenting with acute diarrhea. The RV strain detected from the giraffe was characterized molecularly as G10P[11]. Detailed sequence analysis of VP4 and VP7 revealed significant identity at the amino acid sequence level to Bovine RV (BoRV).

Conclusion

This study demonstrates the need for continuous surveillance of RV strains in various animal populations, which will facilitate the identification of rotavirus hosts not previously reported. Furthermore, extending typical epidemiology studies to a broader host range will contribute to the timely identification of new emerging strain types.

Recommended Citation

Mulherin, E., Bryan, J., Beltman, M. et al. Molecular characterisation of a bovine-like rotavirus detected from a giraffe. BMC Vet Res 4, 46 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1186/1746-6148-4-46