RT Journal Article SR Electronic(1) A1 Luchs, Adriana A1 da Costa, Antonio Charlys A1 Cilli, Audrey A1 Komninakis, Shirley Cavalcante Vasconcelos A1 Carmona, Rita de Cássia Compagnoli A1 Boen, Lais A1 Morillo, Simone Guadagnucci A1 Sabino, Ester Cerdeira A1 Timenetsky, Maria do Carmo Sampaio TavaresYR 2019 T1 Spread of the emerging equine-like G3P[8] DS-1-like genetic backbone rotavirus strain in Brazil and identification of potential genetic variants JF Journal of General Virology, VO 100 IS 1 SP 7 OP 25 DO https://doi.org/10.1099/jgv.0.001171 PB Microbiology Society, SN 1465-2099, AB In 2013, the equine-like G3P[8] DS-1-like rotavirus (RVA) strain emerged worldwide. In 2016, this strain was reported in northern Brazil. The aims of the study were to conduct a retrospective genetic investigation to identify the possible entry of these atypical strains in Brazil and to describe their distribution across a representative area of the country. From 2013 to 2017, a total of 4226 faecal samples were screened for RVA by ELISA, PAGE, RT-PCR and sequencing. G3P[8] represented 20.9 % (167/800) of all RVA-positive samples, further subdivided as equine-like G3P[8], DS-1-like (11.0 %; 88/800) and Wa-like G3P[8] (9.9 %; 79/800). Six equine-like G3P[8] DS-1-like samples were selected for whole-genome investigation, confirming the backbone I2-R2-C2-M2-A2-N2-T2-E2-H2. During 2013–2014, Wa-like G3P[8] was predominant and no equine-like G3P[8] DS-1-like was detected. Equine-like G3P[8] DS-1-like was first identified in Paraná in March/2015, suggesting that the strain entered Brazil through the Southern region. Equine-like G3P[8] rapidly spread across the area under surveillance and displayed a marked potential to replace Wa-like G3P[8] strains. Brazilian equine-like G3P[8] DS-1-like strains clustered with contemporary equine-like G3P[8] DS-1-like detected worldwide, but exhibited a distinct NSP2 genotype (N2) compared to the previously reported Amazon equine-like G3P[8] DS-1-like strain (N1). Two distinct NSP4 E2 genotype lineages were also identified. Taken together, these data suggest that different variants of equine-like G3P[8] DS-1-like strains might have been introduced into the country at distinct time points, and co-circulated in the period 2015–2017. The global emergence of equine-like G3P[8] DS-1-like strains, predominantly in countries using the Rotarix vaccine, raises the question of whether vaccines may be inducing selective pressures on zoonotic strains., UL https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jgv/10.1099/jgv.0.001171