Two rotavirus variants containing genomic rearrangements were isolated from human rotavirus strain Wa. In one variant (H5) the rearrangement involves the RNA segment 5, while in the other variant (H57) two genes, 5 and 7 are rearranged. The rearranged genes are composed exclusively of sequences from the genes they substitute. Sequence analysis of the rearranged segment 7 indicated that it is a partial duplication of the wild type gene, in a head-to-tail orientation.