Cytopathic avian rotavirus isolated from duck faeces in chicken kidney cell cultures

Summary Five cytopathic viruses morphologically resembling rotaviruses were isolated from duck faeces in chicken kidney cell cultures using conventional methods. One of the isolates, designated F‐29 strain, was identified as an avian rotavirus from the following: ribonucleic acid in the viral core, virus growth in the cytoplasm, resistance to chloroform, acid and heating, partial stabilisation to molar magnesium chloride and rotavirus‐like morphology by electron microscopy. By immunofluorescence, F‐29 strain did not react with porcine and bovine rotaviruses. Neutralising antibodies to the F‐29 strain were detected in sera collected from a conventional duck flock, but not from specific‐pathogen‐free duck flocks.