Prevalence of human rotavirus serotypes in some European countries 1981-1988.

An extended epidemiological survey on the circulation of the 4 established human rotavirus (HRV) serotypes in some European countries was carried out on 831 fecal strains collected from infants and young children with acute non-bacterial gastroenteritis during 1981-88. Typing was done by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and/or solid-phase immune electron microscopy using VP7 type-specific neutralizing monoclonal antibodies. Serotype 1 HRV strains were found to be largely predominant in this period both in Italy and other countries, whereas serotype 4 strains were less common. The number of strains of serotypes 1 and 4 circulating in Europe was equivalent only in 1983-84. Serotype 2 strains…