Temporal and geographical distributions of human rotavirus serotypes, 1983 to 1988

Between 1983 and 1988, subgroups and serotypes were determined for 907 of 1,084 clinical specimens of rotaviruses collected in various countries of Europe, North and South America, Africa, and Asia. Enhanced enzyme immunoassays based on monoclonal antibodies specific for rotavirus proteins VP6 and VP7 were used. Significant differences in the prevalent serotypes were detected from year to year in the United Kingdom and Brazil and also in different countries during the same year. Throughout the study, rotavirus serotype 1 was detected most often (53.8%), followed in frequency by serotype 2 (17.8%), serotype 3 (12.1%), serotype 4 (11.1%), and serotypes other than 1 to 4 (5.1%). No individual serotype was found to predominate consistently in any one location. In the United Kingdom, rotavirus serotypes varied in prevalence in a regular but not predictable way. We suggest that a similar epidemiology might be found in other settings. Seventeen unusual strains were detected. Of these, five strains did not react with reference monoclonal antibodies specific for subgroup I and subgroup II, but they reacted with rotavirus group A-specific polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies; four strains were of subgroup II, serotype 2, and at least one had a "long" electropherotype; two strains were of subgroup I, serotype 2 with a long electropherotype; and one strain was of subgroup I, serotype 3. Five group C rotaviruses were detected.