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Molecular Surveillance and Whole Genomic Characterization of Bovine Rotavirus A G6P[1] Reveals Interspecies Reassortment with Human and Feline Strains in China
by
,
Ahmed H. Ghonaim
1,2,3,†
,
Mingkai Lei
1,2,†, 
Yang Zeng
1,2,
Qian Xu
1,2,
Bo Hong
1,2,
Dongfan Li
1,2,
Zhengxin Yang
1,2,
Jiaru Zhou
1,2,
Changcheng Liu
1,2,
Qigai He
1,2,4,
Yufei Zhang
5,6,* and
Wentao Li
1,2,4,*
1
National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
2
Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Centre for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430070, China
3
Desert Research Centre, Cairo 11435, Egypt
4
Frontiers Science Center for Animal Breeding and Sustainable Production, Wuhan 430070, China
5
College of Veterinary Medicine, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010000, China
6
Key Laboratory of Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment Technology in Animal Disease, Ministry of Agriculture, Hohhot 010000, China
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Vet. Sci. 2025, 12(8), 742; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci12080742 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 28 June 2025
/
Revised: 28 July 2025
/
Accepted: 5 August 2025
/
Published: 7 August 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Viral Infections in Wild and Domestic Animals)
Simple Summary
Rotavirus A (RVA) is a primary pathogen that induces diarrhea in both animals and humans. In this study, we analyzed nearly 2000 fecal samples collected from diarrheic calves in China between 2022 and 2025. We found that over one-third of the samples tested positive for RVA, with the highest infection rate recorded in Hohhot. From these, we successfully isolated a bovine RVA strain named 0205HG. Whole-genome analysis revealed that while most of its genes were closely related to bovine RVA strains in China, some segments were genetically similar to human and feline rotaviruses. This indicates that different species may share or exchange rotavirus genes. Our findings underscore the necessity for ongoing monitoring of RVA in animals, as such cross-species transmission could pose a risk to animal and human health.
Abstract
Group A rotavirus (RVA) is a leading causative agent of diarrhea in both young animals and humans. In China, multiple genotypes are commonly found within the bovine population. In this study, we investigated 1917 fecal samples from calves with diarrhea between 2022 and 2025, with 695 testing positive for RVA, yielding an overall detection rate of 36.25%. The highest positivity rate was observed in Hohhot (38.98%), and annual detection rates ranged from 26.75% in 2022 to 42.22% in 2025. A bovine rotavirus (BRV) strain, designated 0205HG, was successfully isolated from a fecal sample of a newborn calf. Its presence was confirmed through cytopathic effects (CPEs), the indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA), electron microscopy (EM), and high-throughput sequencing. Genomic characterization identified the strain as having the G6-P[1]-I2-R2-C2-M2-A3-N2-T6-E2-H3 genotype constellation. The structural proteins VP2 and VP7, along with nonstructural genes NSP1–NSP4, shared high sequence identity with Chinese bovine strains, whereas VP1, VP4, and NSP5 clustered more closely with human rotaviruses, and VP3 was related to feline strains. These findings highlight the genetic diversity and interspecies reassortment of BRVs in China, underlining the importance of continued surveillance and evolutionary analysis.
