Rotavirus genotypes in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras and the Dominican Republic.

In this study, 574 stool samples from children with gastroenteritis were obtained from different hospitals in Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic during 2005-2006. Diarrhea stool samples were analyzed for rotavirus (RV) by ELISA and typed by the RT-PCR-based method. Unusual strains were detected: G1P6, G2P8, G3P6, G9P4, and mixed infections. Recent studies have indicated that unusual human RV strains are emerging as global strains, which has important implications for effective vaccine development. In this context, the next generation of RV vaccines will need to provide adequate protection against diseases caused not only by mixed infections, but also by unusual G/P combinations.