Noninfectious rotavirus (strain RRV) induces an immune response in mice which protects against rotavirus challenge.

We found that female adult mice parenterally inoculated with noninfectious rotavirus (simian strain RRV) developed virus-specific neutralizing antibodies in the serum; newborn mice from these dams were protected against RRV-induced gastroenteritis. In addition, mice parenterally inoculated with noninfectious RRV developed virus-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocyte precursors in the spleen. Replication of rotavirus in intestinal epithelial cells was apparently not required to induce rotavirus-neutralizing antibodies or rotavirus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Parenteral immunization of infants and young children with noninfectious rotaviruses may induce an immune response which protects against rotavirus challenge.