Avian Malaria Deaths in Parrots, Europe

feline strains from Italy and Australia grouped together, as did the P[9] strains from the United States. Thus, both the VP7 and VP4 genes of G3P[9] strain identifi ed in this study were most closely related to a racoon dog rotavirus strain (RACDG5), suggesting an animal origin of this rotavirus strain. These strains are likely an example of an animal strain causing limited disease in humans, rather than existence of a true strain, which has entered and adapted to the human environment. Recent wholegenome sequencing of 2 G3P[9] strains isolated from children in Italy showed they were composed of genes of human, bovine, and feline origin (2); whether the G3P[9] strains from Malaysia identifi ed in this study are also human/animal reassortant strains requires further study. Identifi cation of G3P[9] strains in Malaysia continues to highlight the presence of these rare strains in Asian communities. The close similarity of the strains to a G3P[9] strain from a raccoon dog further highlights the transmission of rotavirus strains between animal and human sources. Whether this strain can establish itself in humans and cause disease is unknown, but the identifi cation of rare strains illustrates that movement of rotaviruses between various hosts does occur from time to time.