Serological comparison of canine rotavirus with various simian and human rotaviruses by plaque reduction neutralization and hemagglutination inhibition tests.

By the plaque reduction neutralization test, the CU-1 strain of canine rotavirus was similar, if not identical, to three strains (no. 14, no. 15, and P) of the tentatively designated third human rotavirus serotype. In addition, strain CU-1 demonstrated a one-way antigenic relationship with two other strains (M and B) of the third human rotavirus serotype. The CU-1 strain of canine rotavirus hemagglutinated human group O, rhesus monkey, dog, sheep, and guinea pig erythrocytes. A two-way antigenic relationship between canine (CU-1) and simian (MMU 18006 and SA11) rotaviruses demonstrated previously by the plaque reduction neutralization test was confirmed further with two additional isolates (A79-10 and LSU 79C-36) of canine rotavirus by the plaque reduction neutralization test and the hemagglutination inhibition test. The CU-1 strain of canine rotavirus, which is known to be distinct from two well-characterized human rotavirus serotypes (Wa and DS-1), was also found to be distinct from the St. Thomas no. 4 strain, which is a newly defined fourth human rotavirus serotype. Thus, this canine strain, which is related antigenically to one of four human rotavirus serotypes, is another example of an animal rotavirus which shares serotype specificity with a human rotavirus.