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Molecular Epidemiology of Rotavirus among Children in Western Canada: Dynamic Changes in Genotype Prevalence in Four Consecutive Seasons
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  • Ran Zhuo,
  • Stephen Freedman B,
  • Jianling Xie,
  • Carmen Charlton,
  • Sabrina Plitt,
  • Mathew Croxen A,
  • Vincent Li,
  • Gillian Tarr,
  • Bonita Lee,
  • Samina Ali,
  • Linda Chui,
  • Jasper Luong,
  • Xiaoli L. Pang
Ran Zhuo
University of Alberta Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Stephen Freedman B
University of Calgary Cumming School of Medicine
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Jianling Xie
University of Calgary Cumming School of Medicine
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Carmen Charlton
University of Alberta Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology
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Sabrina Plitt
University of Alberta School of Public Health
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Mathew Croxen A
University of Alberta Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology
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Vincent Li
Alberta Precision Laboratories
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Gillian Tarr
University of Minnesota Twin Cities Division of Environmental Health Sciences
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Bonita Lee
University of Alberta
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Samina Ali
University of Alberta
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Linda Chui
University of Alberta Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology
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Jasper Luong
University of Alberta Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology
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Xiaoli L. Pang
University of Alberta Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology
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Abstract

Rotavirus molecular surveillance remains important in the post vaccine era in order to monitor the changes in transmission patterns, identify vaccine induced antigenic changes and discover potentially pathogenic vaccine related strains. The Canadian province of Alberta introduced rotavirus vaccination into its provincial vaccination schedule June 2015. To evaluate the impact of this program on stool rotavirus positivity rate, strain diversity and seasonal trends, we analyzed a prospective cohort of children with acute gastroenteritis recruited between December 2014 and August 2018. We identified dynamic changes in rotavirus positivity and genotype trends during pre- and post- rotavirus vaccine introduction periods. Genotypes G9P[8], G1P[8], G2P[4] and G12P[8] predominated consecutively each season with overall lower rotavirus incidence rates in 2016 and 2017. The demographic and clinical features of rotavirus gastroenteritis were comparable among wild type rotaviruses; however, children with G12P[8] infections were older (P<0.001). Continued efforts to monitor changes in the molecular epidemiology of rotavirus using whole genome sequence characterization is needed to further understand the impact of the selection pressure of vaccination on rotavirus evolution.
06 Apr 2023Submitted to Journal of Medical Virology
08 Apr 2023Submission Checks Completed
08 Apr 2023Assigned to Editor
08 Apr 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
10 Apr 2023Reviewer(s) Assigned
28 May 2023Editorial Decision: Revise Major
19 Jun 20231st Revision Received
21 Jun 2023Submission Checks Completed
21 Jun 2023Assigned to Editor
21 Jun 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
08 Jul 2023Reviewer(s) Assigned
29 Jul 2023Editorial Decision: Accept