Identification and molecular characterization of a bovine G3 rotavirus which causes age-independent diarrhea in cattle

G3 rotaviruses have been reported rarely in cattle, and none have been characterized. We report the first genomic characterization of a bovine G3 rotavirus, CP-1, which had been biologically characterized in vivo and shown to cause age-independent diarrhea. CP-1 was a G3 rotavirus as its VP7 had 92 to 96% deduced amino acid identity to those of G3 rotaviruses. However, initially, CP-1 was identified as a G10 rotavirus by RT-PCR even though the CP-1 VP7 had only 81 to 85% deduced amino acid identity to those of G10 rotaviruses. Rotavirus CP-1 was of P[5] specificity, a type common in cattle, and had a bovine NSP1 and NSP4. These results added another animal species to those in which G3 rotaviruses have been found, characterized a bovine rotavirus which caused age-independent diarrhea in calves, and raised the possibility that bovine G3 rotaviruses may be misdiagnosed as G10 rotaviruses.