Seroepidemiology of human group C rotavirus in the UK

James, V.L.A., Lambden, P.R., Caul, E.O., Cooke, S.J. and Clarke, I.N. (1997) Seroepidemiology of human group C rotavirus in the UK. Journal of Medical Virology, 52 (1), 86-91. (doi:10.1002/(SICI)1096-9071(199705)52:1<86::AID-JMV14>3.0.CO;2-Z). (PMID:9131463)

Abstract

The gene coding for the major inner capsid protein VP6 of human group C rotavirus was cloned into baculovirus using the pBlueBac2 vector and expressed in insect cells. When cultured in High Five cells, VP6 was expressed at a high level and exported to the cell culture medium. Purified VP6 was used to immunise rabbits. Hyperimmune rabbit serum, which reacted with native human group C rotavirus in infected cells, was used to develop and optimise an EIA for the detection of antibodies to group C rotavirus using the recombinant VP6 as a source of antigen. In a local epidemiological survey of 1000 sera grouped by age, an average of 43% of samples were found to have antibodies to human group C rotavirus with the highest proportion (66%) in the 71-75 year age group. In comparison, 97% of adults and 85% of children had antibodies to recombinant VP6 from the bovine RF strain of group A rotavirus. These results suggest that infection with human group C rotavirus is a common occurrence despite the apparent rarity of reports of human group C rotavirus in clinical samples from patients with gastroenteritis.

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Contributors

Author: I.N. Clarke

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