Morphology and stability of infantile gastroenteritis virus: comparison with reovirus and bluetongue virus

Three forms of infantile gastroenteritis virus (IGV), each representing the exposure of a different surface layer, were studied by negative-contrast electron microscopy and compared with analogous forms of a reovirus and an orbivirus. Although major structural similarities were found in each of the three main layers of these viruses, differences were sufficient to clearly distinguish the member genera of the Reoviridae family. IGV particle morphology was stable to most physical and chemical agents commonly used to evaluate virus lability. Virions were stable under all test conditions except when treated with versene-trypsin or held at pH <3.