Cross-neutralizing antibodies induced by single serotype vaccination of cows with rotavirus

Single serotype vaccination of mature cows with nine different strains of bovine, simian and human rotaviruses induced heterotypic milk and serum neutralizing antibodies against two bovine and four human rotavirus serotypes. Immunization with single-shelled simian rotavirus SA11 increased milk and serum neutralization titres fivefold over those of control cows, without inducing antibodies to outer shell polypeptides of rotavirus. Vaccination with double-shelled SA11 virions also elicited cross-reacting antibodies to the outer shell proteins VP3 and/or VP7 which neutralized rotavirus seven times more efficiently than antisera to single-shelled SA11 virus. A related rotavirus similar to simian rotavirus SA11, but from a different host, might thus be an attractive vaccine for immunization of pregnant cows to confer passive immunity to calves.