Genomic Analysis of Rwandan G9P[8] Rotavirus Strains Pre- and Post-RotaTeq^® Vaccine Reveals Significant Distinct Sub-Clustering in a Post-Vaccination Cohort

Although the introduction of rotavirus vaccines has substantially contributed to the reduction in rotavirus morbidity and mortality, concerns persist about the re-emergence of variant strains that might alter vaccine effectiveness in the long term. The G9 strains re-emerged in Africa during the mid-1990s and have more recently become predominant in some countries, such as Ghana and Zambia. In Rwanda, during the 2011 to 2015 routine surveillance period, G9P[8] persisted during both the pre- and post-vaccine periods. The pre-vaccination cohort was based on the surveillance period of 2011 to 2012, and the post-vaccination cohort was based on the period of 2013 to 2015, excluding 2014. The RotaTeq^® vaccine that was first introduced in Rwanda in 2012 is genotypically heterologous to Viral Protein 7 (VP7) G9. This study elucidated the whole genome of Rwandan G9P[8] rotavirus strains pre- and post-RotaTeq^® vaccine introduction. Fecal samples from Rwandan children under the age of five years (pre-vaccine n = 23; post-vaccine n = 7), conventionally genotyped and identified as G9P[8], were included. Whole-genome sequencing was then performed using the Illumina^® MiSeq platform. Phylogenetic analysis and pair-wise sequence analysis were performed using MEGA6 software. Distinct clustering of three post-vaccination study strains was observed in all 11 gene segments, compared to the other Rwandan G9P[8] study strains. Specific amino acid differences were identified across the gene segments of these three 2015 post-vaccine strains. Important amino acid differences were identified at position N242S in the VP7 genome segment of the three post-vaccine G9 strains compared to the other G9 strains. This substitution occurs at a neutralization epitope site and may slightly affect protein interaction at that position. These findings indicate that the Rwandan G9P[8] strains revealed a distinct sub-clustering pattern among post-vaccination study strains circulating in Rwanda, with changes at neutralization epitopes, which may play a role in neutralization escape from vaccine candidates. This emphasizes the need for continuous whole-genome surveillance to better understand the evolution and epidemiology of the G9P[8] strains post-vaccination.