Characterization of human rotaviruses isolated from symptomatic and asymptomatic infections.

The occurence and circulation of different human rotavirus electropherotypes during 1984-1992 in diarrhoeic and healthy subjects were studied using examination of electropherotypes of viral RNA by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). In 638 of 934 faecal specimens 11 different electropherotypes were distinguished. One long electropherotype pattern was far more frequent (58.6%) than any of the other 10 rotavirus electropherotypes detected throughout the whole study. The broadest spectrum of electropherotypes was detected in the group of children hospitalized with gastroenteritis as compared to the other groups followed. In the group of asymptomatic newborns only single electropherotype was detected, which did not occur in any group of sick children or adult contancts. Hospital-acquired infection was proved in 7.9% of followed hospitalized gastroenteritis cases. All electropherotypes detected in hospitalized children were identical to the strains occurring among community-acquired rotavirus infections. According to these findings we do not suppose that a hospital is a reservoir of rotaviruses responsible for clinically apparent gastroenteritis cases.