Rotaviruses have been implicated as the major causal agents of acute
diarrhoea in mammals and fowls. Experimental rotavirus infection have
been associated to a series of sub-cellular pathologic ...alterations
leading to cell lysis which may represent key functions in the
pathogenesis of the diarrhoeic disease. The current work describes the
cytopathic changes in cultured MA-104 cells infected by a simian
(SA-11) and a porcine (1154) rotavirus strains. Trypan blue exclusion
staining showed increased cell permeability after infection by both
strains, as demonstrated by cell viability. This effect was confirmed
by the leakage of infected cells evaluated by chromium release. Nuclear
fragmentation was observed by acridine orange and Wright staining but
specific DNA cleavage was not detected. Ultrastructural changes, such
as chromatin condensation, cytoplasm vacuolisation, and loss of
intercellular contact were shown in infected cells for both strains. In
situ terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (Tunel) assay did not show
positive result. In conclusion, we demonstrated that both strains of
rotavirus induced necrosis as the major degenerative effect.
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