Group C Rotavirus Infection and Infiltration

Abstract

We recently found many cases of gastroenteritis involving older children and sometimes other members of their families. We suspected epidemiological infiltration of an atypical rotavirus (RV). PAGE analysis of 130 cases in 1985 and 1986 revealed that the RNA profiles were similar to that of group C RV in 12 cases. We performed IEM analysis on one of the strains and found it to be group C. The group C RV was detected for 2 months toward the end of the outbreak of group A RV infection. The ages of the group C RV infected patients were 4 years or older. We also studied the prevalence of antibody to group C in the stored sera that had been collected since 1971. Antibody was seldom found in the sera of patients under 3 years of age but it was found in 20-40% of those who were 4 years or older. The clinical manifestations of the group C RV infection were similar to those of group A, except that body temperature was slightly lower and other symptoms were generally milder.