G. Castrucci et al., A STUDY ON NEONATAL CALF DIARRHEA INDUCED BY ROTAVIRUS, Comparative immunology, microbiology and infectious diseases, 17(3-4), 1994, pp. 321-331
This review summarizes the results of a study on rotaviruses isolated
from calves affected by neonatal diarrhea. The results indicated that
rotavirus infection is widespread and supported the evidence for an et
iologic role of these viruses in neonatal diarrhea. Differences in vir
ulence among bovine rotaviruses appeared also to be confirmed. Convent
ionally reared calves were fully susceptible to the experimental infec
tion induced by rotaviruses originating from heterologous hosts, i.e.
monkeys, pigs and rabbits. When rotavirus strains of bovine, simian an
d rabbit origin were compared by cross neutralization tests, it was fo
und the simian and porcine strains were indistinguishable and both app
eared to relate antigenically to the bovine strain.Finally, it was pro
ven that feeding newborn calves with colostrum and first milk of their
dams, previously vaccinated with an inactivated adjuvanted rotavirus
vaccine, could prevent the neonatal diarrhea from occurring.