Inactivation of a range of viruses, such as adeno-, mumps, rota-, polio- (types 1 and 3), coxsackie-, rhino-, herpes simplex, rubella, measles, influenza and human immunodeficiency viruses, by povidone-iodine (PVP-I) and other commercially available antiseptics in Japan was studied in accordance with the standardized protocol in vitro. In these experiments, antiseptics such as PVP-I solution, PVP-I gargle, PVP-I cream, chlorhexidine gluconate, alkyldiamino-ethyl-glycine hydrochloride, benzalkonium chloride (BAC) and benzethonium chloride (BEC) were used. PVP-I was effective against all the virus species tested. PVP-I drug products, which were examined in these experiments, inactivated all the viruses within a short period of time. Rubella, measles, mumps viruses and HIV were sensitive to all of the antiseptics, and rotavirus was inactivated by BAC and BEC, while adeno-, polio- and rhinoviruses did not respond to the other antiseptics. PVP-I had a wider virucidal spectrum, covering both enveloped and nonenveloped viruses, than the other commercially available antiseptics.

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.

Viral pollution of the river water in Toyama City was surveyed during the two‐year period from July 1979 to July 1981, and the ecology of viruses in the river water is discussed. Virus isolation from the river water samples, or from the water squeezed from cotton pads that were immersed in the stream for 3 days, was carried out by the “filter adsorption/elution” method.River waters were found to be contaminated with various species of enteric viruses, that is, poliovirus, echovirus, coxsackievirus, adenovirus, and reovirus. Poliovirus was isolated during the period immediately after the oral administration of polio vaccine, and Coxsackie B virus was frequently isolated all year around. The enterovirus concentration in the river water was significantly high with a maximum of five plaque‐forming units of Coxsackie B2 virus per 250 ml.The species and type distribution of enteroviruses isolated from the river water coincided well with that of viruses isolated from inhabitants of Toyama Prefecture, with the exception of reovirus which was the largest population of virus species in the river water.

SUMMARYFormation of cowpox virus-specific cell surface antigen (CPV S-ag) was enhanced in HVJ (Sendal virus) carrier cells compared to that in parent cells. Temperature shifts from 32 to 35 to 37 °C for these carrier cultures reduced this enhancing activity, making them equivalent to parent cells. The eclipse phase and one-step growth of CPV in the carrier cells were shorter than in normal cells. Extracts of carrier cells exhibited a stimulating activity causing the temporary rise and subsequent lowering of CPV infectivity in their reactions with CPV in vitro, suggesting a cellular acceleration of CPV uncoating. The S-ag forming ability of these carrier cells did not decrease as much as that of parent cells in the presence of actinomycin D or puromycin. The results indicate that persistent infection with HVJ, especially the temperature-sensitive variant, promotes the first step of intracellular growth of CPV, resulting in enhanced formation of S-ag.

We recently developed a method for serotyping human rotavirus (HRV) by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with HRV serotype-specific neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (ELISA serotyping). In the present study this method was compared with the fluorescent focus neutralization test with serotype-specific rabbit antisera (NT serotyping) in the sensitivity and specificity of the test. Direct serotyping of HRVs which were contained in stool specimens indicated that while only 37% of the samples were successfully serotyped in NT, 78% of the samples could be serotyped in ELISA. Regarding the samples whose serotype could be determined in the two tests, the assigned serotypes were identical in both tests. The results obtained indicated the utility of ELISA serotyping in clinical and epidemiologic studies of HRV infection.Determination of the serotype of human rotavirus contained in stool specimens is important not only to understand the ecology of human rotavirus (HRV) and the epidemiology of HRV infections but also for the prevention of HRV infections. However, it has been reported that HRV in stool specimens is difficult to propagate in cell culture, though a prodigious number of rotavirus particles are observed in the specimens as compared with other enteric viruses. At this time, therefore, a method to directly serotype HRVs in stool specimens without in vitro cultivation is urgently needed.Previously we prepared a number of monoclonal antibodies against HRV (9, 10, 12). Furthermore, we recently succeeded in preparing four monoclonal antibodies reacting specifically with VP7 neutralizing protein of four different HRV serotypes and in establishing an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for directly serotyping HRVs in stools using these monoclonal antibodies (ELISA serotyping) (11) .In this article 32 cell culture-adapted and 76 non-adapted stool viruses were 699