Rotavirus Genotypes in Children under the Age of Five with Acute Diarrhoea in Asokoro District Hospital, Abuja, Nigeria

The present study aims to identify the predominant rotavirus genotypes and examine the effects of existing local vaccination programs on prevailing rotavirus genotypes and on preventing rotavirus diarrhoea. The rotavirus vaccination was supposed to be added to Nigeria's National Immunization Program in 2014, however this hasn't happened yet. Nigeria has the greatest death rate on the continent from diarrheal illnesses, yet there is little knowledge about specific, common rotavirus genotypes.

A one-year prospective descriptive study of children under 5 with acute diarrhoea was conducted from June 2018 to May 2019. Children with acute diarrhoea attending Asokoro District Hospital, Abuja. Children without diarrhoea were also recruited as a control group. Rotavirus ELISA and RNA extraction were done with commercially available kits, and positive samples were subjected to RT-PCR and electrophoresis to determine VP7 (G) and VP4 (P) genotypes.

Rotavirus-ELISA was positive among 231 (17.8%) children with diarrhoea and 29 (2.2%) of controls, with November, December identified as peak for rotavirus infections. The predominant VP7 genotypes was G1 (n=116, 50.2%) followed by G9 (n=66, 28.5%). Viral Protein, VP4 (P) was mostly P [8] (n=143, 74.8%) followed by P [4] (n=21, 10.9%). The predominant genotype combinations found were G1 P [8] (n=108, 46.7%), G9 P [8] (n=62, 26.8%), and G2 P [4] (n=18, 7.7%). Very few mixed infections were found in the study, 2 (0.8%). Among 94 unvaccinated children with rotavirus isolates that were genotyped, G1 P [8] (n=88, 49.4%) and G9 P [8] (n=43, 24.1%) were predominant. Among 32 vaccinated children, G1 P [8] (n=13, 40.2%) and G9 P [8] (n=9, 28.1%) were predominant.

The results affirm the planned (but postponed) introduction of the rotavirus vaccination in Nigeria but highlight the necessity for sufficient funding for virological and quality assured surveillance to track this. Additionally, the future effectiveness of the vaccination may be threatened by the appearance of new rotavirus genotypic combinations. In the future, the use of a pentavalent vaccine may be taken into consideration.