Seasonal shifts of group A rotavirus strains as a possible mechanism of persistence in the human population.

This article demonstrates how the seasonal predominance of a new rotavirus strain in Asuncion, Paraguay is correlated with a wide spectrum of age groups of children infected in that given season. Therefore, this study provides new evidence to support the idea that seasonal shift of rotavirus strains is a possible mechanism used by the virus to evade herd immunity (acquired by the population due to previous infections) and, thus, ultimately persist in that population. Copyright 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.