Molecular epidemiology of human rotavirus infections in Chandigarh (India).

Molecular epidemiology of rotavirus infections was studied in children with acute gastroenteritis attending the Nehru Hospital, Chandigarh. A total of 87 stool samples were studied for RNA migration pattern by polyacrylamide gel electropherosis. Only 33 strains could be electropherotyped and two different RNA types 'Short' and 'Long' were observed. Fifteen had a Short RNA pattern and 18 had a Long RNA pattern. There were no intergenomic variations between the Short or Long RNA types. On analysis of subgroup specificity by ELISA using monoclonal antibodies, all Long strains belonged to subgroup 2 and all Short strains to subgroup 1. Our results show that only two electropherotypes were prevalent in the area studied and during a particular peak of infection, only one electropherotype was predominant.