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ROTAVIRUS
KEVIN ELMORE
BIOL 402
POSTER PROJECT PRESENTATION
WHAT IS ROTAVIRUS?

Discovered in 1973

Rotavirus causes
gastroenteritis

Results in severe watery
diarrhea; especially in
babies and young children

Globally, rotavirus causes
half a million deaths a
year in children under 5
VIRAL MORPHOLOGY & DISEASE
MECHANISM

Reoviridae Family – family that
affects GI tract

Seven species of the virus: A, B, C,
D, E, F, G

Most common is Rotavirus A

Non-enveloped and icosahedral
capsule; double shelled

Genome has 11 dsRNA segments;
codes for 12 proteins

6 structural proteins

6 non-structural proteins
TRANSMISSION, SYMPTOMS, SIGNS &
TREATMENTS

Transmitted via oral-fecal pathway

Contaminated food, water, hands,
disease vectors (flies), etc.

Characterized by water diarrhea
and low grade fever

Dehydration is common problem
and most common cause of death

Treatment is nonspecific

WHO recommends use of lowosmolarity oral rehydration and
zinc supplementation
NSP4 MECHANISMS – AN ENTEROTOXIN
Enzymatic activities of brush
border are decreased
 Cellular permeability is
increased



Results in abrupt onset of
symptoms and associated
massive fluid loss
Enterotoxin Effect in
Enterocytes:
 Chloride secretion via
Ca++ dependent
mechanism
 Cell lysis and tissue
damage
Marco et al. “Biphasic Mechanism of Rotavirus Infection”.
The Journal of Infectious Disease.
Human Ig vs. Rotavirus
 Study
shows that
human
immunoglobulin
can inhibit early
secretion induced
by rotavirus
Marco et al. “Biphasic Mechanism of Rotavirus
Infection”. The Journal of Infectious Disease.
EPIDEMIOLOGY

Endemic worldwide but not much
of a problem in developed world

Vaccines – RotaTaq and Rotarix

Still major problem in developing
world – Africa, India, SE Asia

Largest recent outbreak was in
Nicaragua (2005)  mutant strain
which escape acquired immunity of
population
REFERENCES

http://www.cdc.gov/rotavirus/index.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotavirus

http://www.nature.com/news/gm-rice-delivers-antibodies-against-deadlyrotavirus-1.13541

Cox E. & Christenson. “Rotavirus”. Pediatrics Review. American Academy of
Pediatrics. 2012

Dong Y. et al. “Rotavirus entertoxin NSP4 mobilizes intracellular calcium”.
National Academy of Science. 1997

Marco et al. “Biphasic Mechanism of Rotavirus Infection”. The Journal of
Infectious Disease. 2009