Rotavirus infection in children of Nizhny Novgorod, Russia: the gradual change of the virus allele from P[8]-1 to P[8]-3 in the period 1984–2010

A collection of rotavirus samples collected over a 26-year period was examined to study the dynamics of change in RV strains of genotype P[8] in a geographically defined population (Nizhny Novgorod, Russia; children under 6 years) with no vaccine pressure. Phylogenetic analysis of gene VP4 (subunit VP8*) showed the presence of two lines of genotype P[8]: P[8]-1 and P[8]-3. Since 1997, the dominant population of rotavirus has been occupied by strains carrying the allele P[8]-3, which is associated with G1, G3 and G4. The complete replacement of the allele P[8]-1 to P[8]-3 took 19 epidemic years.