ABSTRACT
Rotaviruses are recognized as the leading cause of severe gastroenteritis in infants and young children worldwide since the discovery of human rotavirus (HRV) in the early 1970s. Seven rotavirus groups (A to G) are known based on the antigenicity of VP6 and sequences of genomic RNA. This chapter review animal models pertaining to the establishment and applications in studies of rotavirus-host interactions, pathogenesis, immunity, and vaccine development are reviewed with emphasis on mouse and Gn pig models. The advantages, disadvantages, and limitations of the animal models are discussed. Cell lines and tissue culture models that support rotavirus replication and have been used in rotavirus research are summarized. Further optimizations of the models, including humanization of the immune system through stem cell transfer, transplantation with human gut microbiota (HGM) from donors representing different health and immune statuses, and genetic modification using CRISPR/Cas9 technology, will further improve the usefulness and reliability of the models for mimicking rotavirus infection in humans.
