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Serial observations of chronic rotavirus infection in an immunodeficient child
I Oishi1, T Kimura, T Murakami
1Laboratory of Virology, Osaka Prefectural Institute of Public Health, Japan.
Insights
Chronic rotavirus infection in an infant with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) led to unusual genomic changes in the virus. These viral genetic alterations occurred over time in the immunodeficient host.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Immunology
- Genetics
Background:
- Studied chronic rotavirus infection in an infant with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID).
- Monitored patient symptoms and immune status during an eleven-month hospitalization.
Observation:
- Patient experienced persistent severe diarrhea and transient hepatitis.
- Rotaviruses were continuously detected via electron microscopy and R-PHA tests.
- Despite treatments, viral excretion persisted.
Findings:
- Detected rotaviruses exhibited a double capsid structure.
- Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) revealed abnormal genomic RNA profiles.
- Genomic RNA exhibited changes including loss of the 11th segment, increased molecular weight of the 6th segment, and appearance of 7-14 extra segments.
- PAGE patterns evolved every 3-4 months, indicating dynamic viral genetic changes.
Implications:
- Suggests chronic rotavirus infection in immunodeficient hosts can drive viral genomic diversification.
- Highlights the generation of extra viral genomic segments and unusual assortments.
- Underscores the complex interplay between host immunity and viral evolution in chronic infections.
Abstract:
Chronic rotavirus infection of an infant with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) was studied by virological examinations in association with long-term observation of his symptoms and immune status. During eleven months of hospitalization, the patient was suffering from incurable severe diarrhea with persisting excretion of rotaviruses detected by electron microscopy and the reversed-passive hemagglutination (R-PHA) test and had transient hepatitis symptom despite multiple administrations of human gammaglobulin and high calorie fluids. The detected viruses were morphologically recognized as rotavirus with double capsid structure. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic (PAGE) analysis of their genomic RNAs showed the long electropherotype of group A virus with abnormal migration profiles changing considerably from the early to the late phase of illness: (1) The 11th segment became undetectable; (2) the molecular weight of the 6th segment slightly increased; (3) seven to fourteen extra segments appeared; and (4) PAGE patterns of viral genomic RNAs changed every three or four months. These findings suggest that chronic infection with rotavirus accompanied the generation of extra viral genomic segments and their unusual assortments in an immunodeficient host.