Comparative virulence of different bovine rotavirus isolates

Intestinal loops, ligated in colostrum-deprived calves were used to compare the virulence of four isolates of bovine rotavirus. Histopathological studies were carried out on infected and control loops and measurements of villous length, crypt depth, villus:crypt ratio and crypt mitotic index were recorded. Pathological changes associated with the rotaviruses included villous atrophy, flattening of absorptive epithelium and reduced villus:crypt ratios. The changes were confined to infected intestinal loops in which the presence of virus was demonstrated by specific immunofluorescence. Consistent differences in the measured histopathological changes suggested differences in virulence among the rotavirus isolates tested. The least virulent rotavirus isolate had a polypeptide electrophoretic pattern that differed from the other three more virulent isolates.