Relative frequency of rotavirus subgroups 1 and 2 in Venezuelan children with gastroenteritis as assayed with monoclonal antibodies

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies recently developed against the 42,000 dalton protein of 2 rotavirus strains were used in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA] to determine the subgroup specificity of 252 specimens collected over 45 mo. from Venezuelan children with rotavirus gastroenteritis. Subgroup 2 rotavirus was shed by 85% of the children; only 14% shed subgroup 1 rotavirus (1/2 of them in a 3-mo. period). No differences were found in the occurrence of fever and vomiting between children shedding either rotavirus subgroup; it appeared that the syndrome tended to last longer in children shedding subgroup 2 rotavirus. The monocolonal subgrouping ELISA seemed to be more sensitive than an immune adherence hemagglutination assay, an ELISA with polyclonal antibodies or the electrophoretic analysis of RNA extracted from the virus. Overall, 99% of the specimens could be subgrouped by this assay.