To investigate the relative frequency of individual human rotavirus serotypes prevailing in Japan, 562 stool specimens collected from patients with rotavirus gastroenteritis between November 1986 and March 1988 in seven districts were examined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with serotype 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-specific monoclonal antibodies. Serotype 1 was the predominant serotype in the winter of 1986-1987; however, both serotypes 1 and 2 were detected frequently in the winter of 1987-1988. The results showed the relative frequency of individual serotypes by locale and the yearly change in the prevalence of each serotype in the same area. The result of subgroup specificity of rotavirus obtained by using ELISA with subgroup I- and II-specific monoclonal antibodies confirmed the general finding that rotavirus strains having subgroup I specificity are serotype 2 and those having subgroup II specificity are either serotype 1, 3, or 4. Unusual strains having both subgroup I and II specificity or neither specificity and strains presumed to represent new serotypes were also found.

Rotaviruses were detected via electron microscopy in fecal specimens collected from school children during an outbreak of diarrhea and from a sporadic case in 1993 in Japan. All of the viruses were found to belong to human group C rotavirus by reverse passive hemagglutination assay (RPHA). These viruses replicated well in a human colon carcinoma (CaCo-2) cell line cultured in the presence of trypsin (4 micrograms/ml). This report demonstrates that human group C rotaviruses can be propagated efficiently in a cell line cultured in the presence of trypsin. The infected cells did not show any apparent cytopathic changes. However, virus was detected in the cell cytoplasm by immunofluorescence (IF) staining and in the culture supernatant by RPHA. On the basis of immune electron microscopy (IEM), virus particles collected from infected CaCo-2 cell cultures were confirmed to aggregate specifically with anti-human group C rotavirus antibody. The electrophoretic patterns of RNA segments extracted from viral particles found in the fecal specimens or infected cells were identical to those of human group C rotavirus. These results indicated that human group C rotaviruses were the causal agent of the diarrhea outbreak.

No abstract

Rotaviruses were detected via electron microscopy in fecal specimens collected from school children during an outbreak of diarrhea and from a sporadic case in 1993 in Japan. All of the viruses were found to belong to human group C rotavirus by reverse passive hemagglutination assay (RPHA). These viruses replicated well in a human colon carcinoma (CaCo-2) cell line cultured in the presence of trypsin (4 micrograms/ml). This report demonstrates that human group C rotaviruses can be propagated efficiently in a cell line cultured in the presence of trypsin. The infected cells did not show any apparent cytopathic changes. However, virus was detected in the cell cytoplasm by immunofluorescence (IF) staining and in the culture supernatant by RPHA. On the basis of immune electron microscopy (IEM), virus particles collected from infected CaCo-2 cell cultures were confirmed to aggregate specifically with anti-human group C rotavirus antibody. The electrophoretic patterns of RNA segments extracted from viral particles found in the fecal specimens or infected cells were identical to those of human group C rotavirus. These results indicated that human group C rotaviruses were the causal agent of the diarrhea outbreak.

In Chiba Prefecture, the first patient of infection with spotted fever group Rickettsia was found in 1987, thereafter nine patients were detected serologically by the end of 1990. Patients were found in the villages of Amatsukominato, Katsuura and Ootaki, which were located in southern part of Chiba Prefecture. The illness occurred from June to October. On the other hand, patients with Rickettsia tsutsugamushi were seen from October to September. Difference of prevalent seasons of these two types of rickettsiosis is important to make a clinical diagnosis and serological identification of this spotted fever group rickettsiosis. Antibody of the patients showed the highest titer to YH strain of Rickettsia and showed high cross-reactivity to other spotted fever group rickettsiae. For the diagnosis of the patient serologically, it was confirmed that any strain of spotted fever group Rickettsia were useful.