Demonstration of anti-rotavirus antibody producing cells in intestine of calves using immunoperoxidase technique

Six neonatal (day old) colostrum deprived bovine calves were divided into 2 groups; group I kept as control and group II calves were given 5 × 10⁶ TCID₅₀ rotavirus orally. The calves showed diarrhoea for 4–6 days and recovered thereafter. Antirotavirus antibody producing cells were demonstrated using immunoperoxidase technique in the intestinal tissue of calves sacrificed at 42-day post infection. Such cells were distributed in between epithelial cells of the villi and crypt within the clusters of mononuclear cells. The demonstration of rotavirus antibody producing cells is having diagnostic significance particularly in subclinical or chronic infection of rotavirus infection when the virus is excreted out from the gut within 6–7 days. In the absence of virus or viral antigens in intestinal cells, the demonstration of rotavirus specific antibody producing cells is useful tool for diagnosis.