title: Seroepidemiology of human group C rotavirus in the UK.
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.
authors.affiliation: Public Health Laboratory, Southampton General Hospital, UK.
authors.forename: V L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: James
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Lambden
authors.forename: E O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Caul
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Cooke
authors.forename: I N
authors.initials: IN
authors.lastname: Clarke
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D016367:Baculoviridae; D018938:Caco-2 Cells; D002213:Capsid / Q000276:immunology; D036022:Capsid Proteins; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008875:Middle Aged; D011817:Rabbits; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D036022:Capsid Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C061332:VP6 protein, Rotavirus