Recently, rapid developments have occurred in the field of viral gastroenteritis. This book is an update of fundamental and practical aspects of viral gastroenteritis. Among the various agents that cause viral gastroenteritis, group A rotaviruses and caliciviruses are the focus of this volume because of their clinical impact and the significance of new findings about them.

Overview of viral gastroenteritis.- Rotavirus structure interactions between the structural proteins.- Structure and function of rotavirus nonstructural protein NSP3.- Genome rearrangements of rotaviruses.- Structure and function of rotavirus NSP1.- Identification of the minimal replicase and the minimal promoter of (-)-strand synthesis, functional in rotavirus RNA replication in vitro.- Rotavirus protein expression is important for virus assembly and pathogenesis.- A hypothesis about the mechanism of assembly of double-shelled rotavirus particles.- Development of rotavirus molecular epidemiology electrophero-typing.- Molecular epidemiology of human rotaviruses genogrouping by RNA-RNA hybridization.- Classification of rotavirus VP4 and VP7 serotypes.- VP4 and VP7 typing using monoclonal antibodies.- Natural history of human rotavirus infection.- Protective immunity against group A rotavirus infection and illness in infants.- Rotavirus immunity in the mouse.- The gnotobiotic piglet as a model for studies of disease pathogenesis and immunity to human rotaviruses.- Jennerian and modified Jennerian approach to vaccination against rotavirus diarrhea using a quadrivalent rhesus rotavirus (RRV) and human-RRV reassortant vaccine.- Trials of oral bovine and rhesus rotavirus vaccines in Finland a historical account and present status.- WC3 reassortant vaccines in children. Brief review.- Rotavirus subunit vaccines.- DNA vaccines against rotavirus infections.- Prophylaxis of rotavirus gastroenteritis using immunoglobulin.- Historical background and classification of caliciviruses and astroviruses.- Structure of Norwalk virus.- Recombinant Norwalk virus-like particles as an oral vaccine.- Genetic and antigenic diversity of human caliciviruses (HuCVs) using RT-PCR and new EIAs.-The epidemiology of human calicivirus/Sapporo/82/Japan.- Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction detection and sequence analysis of small round-structured viruses in Japan.- The molecular biology of astroviruses.- The changing epidemiology of astrovirus-associated gastroenteritis a review.- Structural features unique to enteric adenoviruses.- Closing remarks.