Survey of human rotavirus serotypes in different locales in Japan by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with monoclonal antibodies.

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.