Sudden death from systemic rotavirus infection and detection of nonstructural rotavirus proteins

Abstract

A 2.5-year-old girl died suddenly during the course of rotavirus gastroenteritis. The autopsy showed encephalopathy with rotavirus systemic infection. Here, we provide evidence of rotavirus replication in multiple organs. Our findings clarify that rotavirus infection in children can extend beyond the intestinal tract through viremia.

Fig. 1.

Pathological findings in heart, brain, and liver tissue. (A) Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with focal disorganized myocardial architecture. (B) Endocardium showing immunohistochemical detection of rotavirus capsid protein with a mouse monoclonal antibody. (C) Brain tissue with hematoxylin-and-eosin staining. (D) Brain tissue stained with anti-VP6 antibody. The brown color indicates a positive reaction. (E) Liver section with hematoxylin-and-eosin staining showing a multitude of small lipid droplets.

Fig. 2.

Immunohistochemical detection of rotavirus nonstructural proteins. (A) Hepatocyte cytoplasm stained with anti-NSP1 polyclonal antibody. (B) Hepatocyte cytoplasm stained with preimmune rabbit serum. (C) Cardiomyocytes stained with anti-NSP3 polyclonal antibody. (D) Cardiomyocytes stained with preimmune rabbit serum. The reddish-brown color (diaminobenzidine) denotes a positive reaction.