Isolation of cytopathogenic Rotavirus from neonatal calves

Rotavirus was isolated in rolled calf kidney cultures from the intestinal contents of a calf suffering from diarrhoea. The cytopathic effect was demonstrated in native cultures as well as in stained preparations. The affected cells were elongated, became sickle-like in shape, disintegrated and detached from the monolayer. Virus-specific direct immunofluorescence ran parallel, in both time and intensity, with the cytopathic effects. Immuno-electron microscopy showed aggregated virus particles corresponding in size, shape and structure to Rotavirus virion.