Rotaviruses and rotavirus vaccines

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Immunology
• Vaccinology

Background:

• Rotaviruses (RVs) are a major cause of acute gastroenteritis in young children globally, responsible for over 600,000 deaths annually, particularly in developing nations.
• Despite the licensing of two rotavirus vaccines in 2006, intensive research into rotavirus vaccine candidates has been ongoing since the 1980s.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the established knowledge and ongoing research areas in rotavirus (RV) molecular biology, pathogenesis, and vaccine development.
• To identify critical research gaps and future directions, particularly concerning reverse genetics and correlates of protection for improved vaccine efficacy.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive review of the scientific literature published since the 1970s.
• Inclusion of original research findings from the authors' laboratories.

Main Results:

• Established knowledge includes rotavirus structure, genome, gene-protein assignments, partial replication mechanisms, pathogenesis, immune response, diagnosis, and epidemiology.
• Areas of active research and debate include viral entry, RNA packaging, reassortment, morphogenesis, correlates of protection, and long-term vaccine effectiveness.

Conclusions:

• Developing improved and universally applicable reverse genetics systems for rotaviruses (RVs) is paramount for advancing molecular biology understanding and creating new, safe vaccines.
• Further research is crucial to elucidate the 'black boxes' of RV replication, including RNA packaging, replication, reassortment control, and non-structural protein functions.