title: Prevalence of human rotavirus serotypes in some European countries 1981-1988.
abstract: An extended epidemiological survey on the circulation of the 4 established human rotavirus (HRV) serotypes in some European countries was carried out on 831 fecal strains collected from infants and young children with acute non-bacterial gastroenteritis during 1981-88. Typing was done by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and/or solid-phase immune electron microscopy using VP7 type-specific neutralizing monoclonal antibodies. Serotype 1 HRV strains were found to be largely predominant in this period both in Italy and other countries, whereas serotype 4 strains were less common. The number of strains of serotypes 1 and 4 circulating in Europe was equivalent only in 1983-84. Serotype 2 strains were significantly represented only in 1981-84, while strains of serotype 3 were nearly absent, since only 8 strains (2 of which belonged to subgroup I) were found during the entire study period. About 10% of strains could not be typed, while 9 strains exhibited dual VP7 reactivity and 6 were non-group A HRVs. These epidemiological findings must be taken into consideration when deciding strategies for preparing vaccines to be used in Europe.
authors.affiliation: Virus Laboratory, University of Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gerna
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sarasini
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arista
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: di Matteo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Giovannelli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parea
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Halonen
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007223:Infant; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D015995:Prevalence; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D012703:Serotyping