Rotavirus infection in Black and White newborns.

Rotavirus infection in asymptomatic Black and White newborns in maternity hospitals was studied by electron microscopy of stools. None of the 37 White and 30 (49%) of the 61 Black babies excreted rotavirus (P less than 0.0005). The high incidence of neonatal infection in Blacks, who have a low incidence of rotavirus diarrhea in infancy, suggests that neonatal infection might result in immunity.