title: Electrophoretic study of the genome of human rotaviruses from Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Pará, Brazil.
abstract: Human rotaviruses from the states of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Pará of Brazil were analysed by RNA electrophoresis. At least some bands characteristic of rotavirus double-stranded RNA were detected in 138 (86.8%) of 159 faecal samples in which the presence of rotavirus had been demonstrated by enzyme immunoassay. Of the RNA-positive samples, 18 (13.0%) were classified as subgroup 1, 94 (68.1%) as subgroup 2, and 26 (18.8%) could not be classified due to absence of visible bands 10 and 11. Subgroup 2 was more frequent in the three states. All strains of subgroup 1 detected in Rio de Janeiro were associated with a single short-lived school outbreak. All strains of subgroup 1 resembled each other in electrophoretic pattern, irrespective of geographical origin, although minor differences could be detected by co-electrophoresis. Subgroup 2, on the other hand, showed a great degree of electrophoretic heterogeneity and could be divided into several sub-categories.
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000382:microbiology; D005814:Genes, Viral; D006801:Humans; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded / Q000145:classification; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000145:classification*; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded; D012367:RNA, Viral