Ultrastructural study on experimental infection of rotavirus in a murine heterologous model

• Main Authors: Selma Majerowicz, Claire Fernandes Kubelka, Paulo Stephens, Ortrud Monika Barth
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde 1994-09-01
• Series: Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz.
• Subjects: simian rotavirus; ultrastructure; heterologous model
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0074-02761994000300018

Viral replication, histopathological and ultrastructural changes were observed for a period of nine days in the small intestine of suckling mice infected with a simian rotavirus (SA11). Samples taken from duodenum, jejunun and ileum were prepared for light microscopy, transmission and scanning electron microscopy analysis. Histopathologic effect could be detected within 8 hr post-infection, when only a few altered cells were observed. Damage was extensive after 16 hr post-infection, showing swollen enterocytes and reduced and irregularly oriented microvilli at intestinal villi tips. Virus particles were detected at 16 and 48 hr post-infection, budding from the viroplasm into the rough endoplasmic reticulum cisternae in ileum enterocytes. Clear evidence of viral replication, observed by electron microscopy was not described before in heterologous murine models. Regeneration of the intestinal villi began at the third day post-infection. Despite some differences observed in clinical symptoms and microscopic analysis of homologous and heterologous rotavirus infections, we concluded that mechanisms of heterologous rotavirus infection in mice follow similar patterns to those observed in the homologous models.