Prevalence and Genomic Characterization of Rotavirus A from Domestic Pigs in Zambia: Evidence for Possible Porcine–Human Interspecies Transmission
Joseph Ndebe,
Hayato Harima,
Herman Moses Chambaro,
Michihito Sasaki,
Junya Yamagishi,
Annie Kalonda,
Misheck Shawa,
Yongjin Qiu,
Masahiro Kajihara,
Ayato Takada,
Hirofumi Sawa,
Ngonda Saasa,
Edgar Simulundu
Affiliations
Joseph Ndebe
Department of Disease Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka 10101, Zambia
Hayato Harima
Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Saiwai-cho 3-5-8, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan
Herman Moses Chambaro
Central Veterinary Research Institute (CVRI), Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Lusaka 10101, Zambia
Michihito Sasaki
Division of Molecular Pathobiology, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, N20 W10, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan
Junya Yamagishi
Division of Collaboration and Education, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, N20 W10, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan
Annie Kalonda
Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, University of Zambia, Lusaka 10101, Zambia
Misheck Shawa
Hokudai Center for Zoonosis Control in Zambia, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka 10101, Zambia
Yongjin Qiu
National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Management Department of Biosafety, Laboratory Animal, and Pathogen Bank, Toyama 1-23-1, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
Masahiro Kajihara
Hokudai Center for Zoonosis Control in Zambia, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka 10101, Zambia
Ayato Takada
Department of Disease Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka 10101, Zambia
Hirofumi Sawa
Department of Disease Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka 10101, Zambia
Ngonda Saasa
Department of Disease Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka 10101, Zambia
Edgar Simulundu
Department of Disease Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka 10101, Zambia
Rotavirus is a major cause of diarrhea globally in animals and young children under 5 years old. Here, molecular detection and genetic characterization of porcine rotavirus in smallholder and commercial pig farms in the Lusaka Province of Zambia were conducted. Screening of 148 stool samples by RT-PCR targeting the VP6 gene revealed a prevalence of 22.9% (34/148). Further testing of VP6-positive samples with VP7-specific primers produced 12 positives, which were then Sanger-sequenced. BLASTn of the VP7 positives showed sequence similarity to porcine and human rotavirus strains with identities ranging from 87.5% to 97.1%. By next-generation sequencing, the full-length genetic constellation of the representative strains RVA/pig-wt/ZMB/LSK0137 and RVA/pig-wt/ZMB/LSK0147 were determined. Genotyping of these strains revealed a known Wa-like genetic backbone, and their genetic constellations were G4-P[6]-I5-R1-C1-M1-A8-N1-T1-E1-H1 and G9-P[13]-I5-R1-C1-M1-A8-N1-T1-E1-H1, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that these two viruses might have their ancestral origin from pigs, though some of their gene segments were related to human strains. The study shows evidence of reassortment and possible interspecies transmission between pigs and humans in Zambia. Therefore, the “One Health” surveillance approach for rotavirus A in animals and humans is recommended to inform the design of effective control measures.
