Genetic characterization of bovine rotavirus isolates in Korea

Throughout the world, rotavirus infections cause extensive morbidity in human infants and diarrhea in animals such as white scour caused by bovine rotavirus in calves. We isolated three rotavirus strains designated KV0407, KV0418, and KV0426 from 103 fecal samples of diarrheic calves. The genes coding for proteins VP4, VP6, VP7, and NSP4 from strain KV0407 were sequenced and compared with the nucleotide sequences of other known strains of rotavirus. The KV0407 VP4 gene was highly homologous to the OSU (99.4%) and JL94 (99.4%), but not the B223 (62.4%) and K33 (62.4%) VP4 genes. The KV0407 and KV0418 VP7 genes were most similar to the OSU and super-short type VMRI VP7 genes. Based on nucleotide sequence analysis, the KV0407 strain was tentatively assigned to A serogroup (SG I), G5P[7], NSP4 genotype B and the KV0418 and KV0426 strains were assigned to A serogroup (SG I), G6P[5], NSP4 genotype A. The genetic characterization of these bovine rotavirus isolates could be useful for the diagnosis and prevention of diarrhea in calves.