Morphology and morphogenesis of viruses of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). I. Some peculiar aspects of the morphogenesis of various strains of HFRS virus.

The morphology and morphogenesis of viruses of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) were studied by thin-section electron microscopy. Ten strains of HFRS virus isolated in China and one strain isolated in Korea were compared. The virions varied in size as well as in the shape and character of their inner components. Both intracellular and extracellular ribosome-like, electron-dense, virus-associated granules were seen. A viral antigen layer was often visualized on the surface of HFRS virus-infected cells, as confirmed by immune electron microscopy. Aberrant tailed particles and elongated rod-like particles were seen infrequently. The morphogenesis of HFRS viruses appears to be more complex than that of other members of the family Bunyaviridae. The prototype Hantaan virus shares a common morphology and morphogenesis with the other HFRS viruses studied.

Waterborne outbreak of rotavirus diarrhoea in adults in China caused by a novel rotavirus.

During two epidemics of acute diarrhoea in China in late 1982/early 1983, more than 12 000 adults in two coal mining districts were affected. The virus isolated from stool samples resembled a rotavirus morphologically. Antigenically it lacked the group antigen shared by known rotaviruses. Like other rotaviruses it had a double-stranded RNA with 11 discrete segments, but the pattern of migration of the segments on polyacrylamide electrophoresis differed from those of other rotaviruses.