Identification of four VP4 serological types (P serotypes) of bovine rotavirus using viral reassortants.

A series of five reassortant viruses each containing the VP4 gene of a distinct bovine rotavirus and the VP7 gene of human rotavirus strain ST3 was prepared, and antisera to these were produced in rabbits. In neutralization tests, these antisera allowed the differentiation of the five original strains (from three different VP7 or G serotypes) into three or possibly four VP4 or P serotypes. All of a further seven bovine rotavirus strains adapted to cell culture were successfully typed by these antisera. There was a degree of cross-reaction between antiserum to the fourth bovine rotavirus P serotype and the predominant human rotavirus serotype. However, antisera raised in guinea-pigs to recombinant VP4 from this serotype showed the bovine serotype to be distinct. There was no significant serological relationship between these four bovine rotavirus P serotypes and previously described P serotypes from rotaviruses isolated from man and non-bovine animals. The predominant bovine rotavirus VP7 serotypes G6 and G10 tended to have distinct P serotypes also.