Rotavirus G and P genotypes in rural Ghana

An epidemiological study of rotavirus infection was conducted on specimens collected from patients with gastroenteritis and domiciled in the rural Upp er Eastern Region of Ghana during 1998, Fifty isolates, randomly selected f rom 165 human group A rotavirus-positive samples, were G and P characterize d by a reverse transcription (RT)-PCR assay using a seminested multiplex me thod. Rotaviruses of the G3 genotype were found to be the predominant strai n (78%), followed by G2 (14%) and GI (2%). Mixed infections, as shown by co mbinations of G3 and G2 (4%) and G3 and G1 (2%), were also observed. P typi ng showed P[4] (72.34%) to be the prevalent strain, followed by P[6] (21.3% ), P[8] (2.13%), and a combination of P [4] and P [6] (4.3%).