Isolation and Molecular Characterization of a Porcine Rotavirus from Henan Province of China

A porcine rotavirus, strain HN-001, was isolated from fecal sample of a diarrhea piglet in Henan province, China. The virus emerged specific CPEs after 6 blind passages on MA-104 cells. The isolate has been successfully adapted on MA-104 cell line and virus titer reached to 105.0 TCID50/ml. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis showed that the VP4 gene of new isolate had a high homology with that of YM strain (genotype P[7]). The VP7 gene of the isolate belonged to genotype G[5]. An experimental infection was conducted in 3-day old piglets with an oral inoculation of cell culture material of the new porcine rotavirus isolate. The infected piglets showed severe diarrhea at 24h after inoculation. The piglets died or were euthanized 50 hours post inoculation. At necropsy, large amount of watery cheese-like material was found in stomach and watery fluid in small intestines with thinned wall. The jejunum and ileum were partly erated with some yellow contents. The cecum was filled with yellow liquid and inflated. The results indicated that the new porcine rotavirus isolate is pathogenic strain and had caused a severe disease in piglets