The virus from one species can infect only some of the other species. There has been experimental infection of pigs, calves and lambs with the human rotavirus, and the calf virus can infect pigs. Experimental disease is mild, consisting of mild diarrhea, dullness, abdominal discomfort, and recovery in a few days. In naturally occurring infections, lambs develop a profuse diarrhea, and the case fatality rate is high. The virus commonly affects 3 week old piglets that are weaned under intense management conditions.
Recovery usually occurs in a few days unless complicated by other factors.
The environment and the sow are sources of infection, as age resistance to rotaviruses infection may not occur. Gilts and sows shed virus prior to farrowing and during lactation, making it very hard to eliminate the virus from the herd. The foals are depressed, fail to suck, are recumbent, have a fever, and respiration may be rapid and shallow. The foals have profuse, watery diarrhea, resulting in severe dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. The virus can be isolated from the feces of both healthy and diarrhetic foals in outbreaks of disease.