The colostrum-deprived, artificially reared neonatal pig as a model animalfor studying rotavirus gastroenteritis

Rotavirus gastroenteritis is one of the main causes of acute diarrhea in yo ung humans and animals worldwide. The colostrum-deprived, artificially rear ed neonatal pig has been extensively used in our laboratory as a model anim al for studying an experimentally induced rotaviral gastroenteritis. Detail s on procurement of newborn pigs, immunologic characteristics, and artifici al rearing conditions of colostrum-deprived neonatal pigs as well as on rot avirus inoculation, clinical manifestations, and evaluation of intestinal d amage caused by rotavirus infection are described. Our experimentally induc ed rotavirus gastroenteritis model has been characterized clinically by ano rexia, diarrhea, occasional vomiting, and high titers of rotavirus shedding in feces. Data reported here provide additional information, particularly on feeding regimens of pips before rotavirus inoculation, extent of anorexi a, severity of diarrhea, and extent of fecal virus shedding, as well as on the effect of rotavirus infection and size of rotavirus inocula on intestin al damage, growth, and mortality during the postinfection period. On the ba sis of these results and others previously reported by us and by other rese archers, and because of the intestinal anatomy and physiology similarities to that of human infants, the colostrum-deprived, artificially reared neona tal pig is the most suitable and useful model animal for studies designed t o evaluate prevention and treatment of rotaviral gastroenteritis.