Molecular characteristics of German G8P[4] rotavirus strain GER1H-09 suggest that a genotyping and subclassification update is required for G8.

A rare G8P[4] rotavirus, designated GER1H-09, was detected in a stool sample from an infant suffering from repeated episodes of emesis for 2 days without diarrhea. Sequencing of all genomic RNA segments was performed, and complete coding sequences were determined. The VP7 amino acid sequence revealed a close phylogenetic relationship to human G8P[6] and G8P[8] isolates from Slovenia and Africa. GER1H-09 shared typical amino acid residues within variable regions VR3 to VR7 with those strains, and their subclassification as lineage G8-II rotaviruses is proposed. The variability in VR3 was identified as the likely reason for the failure in genotyping G8-II rotaviruses by commonly used multiplex PCR. Furthermore, the sequences of associated structural and nonstructural proteins showed high amino acid identities to DS-1-like rotaviruses. The genotype composition of GER1H-09 (G8-P[4]-I2-R2-C2-M2-A2-N2-T2-E2-H2) suggests the occurrence of reassortment events between G8 genotypes and human DS-1-like G2P[4] rotaviruses.