GLYCAN SPECIFICITY AND DEPENDENCE IN ROTAVIRUS HOST CELL INVASION

Abstract

Rotavirus is a global pathogen that causes acute gastroenteritis resulting in dehydration and high levels of infant mortality. Annually, infections cause 138 million cases of infantile gastroenteritis and an estimated average of 600,000 deaths. Within Australia ~10,000 children under 5 yrs old are admitted to hospital annually with severe rotavirus-induced diarrhoea. This project will investigate the role of carbohydrates in rotavirus infection to help design new vaccines and inhibitors.