Genotyping of rotaviruses detected in children admitted to hospital from Faisalabad Region, Pakistan.

Rotavirus infection is very common in developing countries and occurs at least once in children under the age of 5 years. The rate of detection of rotavirus infection in various age groups (0-5 years) in patients with gastroenteritis admitted to hospital from the Faisalabad region, Pakistan is reported. Out of 300 fecal samples, 189 (57.3%) were positive for rotavirus by immunoassay. Patients aged 7-12 months (35.4%) were infected most commonly followed by the age group 0-6 months (28%). Different genotypes of rotavirus were identified by hemi-nested RT-PCR. The most common genotype was G1P[8] (25.3%), followed by G1P[6] (21.1%). Other genotypes were G1P[9], G2P[6], G9P[10]), G3P[8] (1.5%), and G9P[11] (1%). There were two (1%) cases of mixed G genotype, one patient with two genotypes G1, G10 and another patient with 3 genotypes G1, G10, and G12. There were 6 (3.1%) cases of mixed P genotypes, 3 P[4], P[11] and 3 P[8], P[11]. These results provide an outline of rotavirus infection in this area for the first time.