A retrospective survey was carried out to determine the occurrence and circulation of different human rotavirus electropherotypes. Stool specimens were collected from children under four years old admitted to pediatric health services of Cordoba city, Argentina, from January 1979 to December 1989. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by silver staining was employed for rotavirus detection. Of 1839 faecal samples 228 (13.9%) were positive for rotavirus. Examination of the electrophoretic patterns allowed us to identify 16 different electropherotypes (EPT), eleven with a long pattern (82.2%) and 5 with a short one (18.8%). The L 79-5 (31.4%), L 84-8 (22.1%), S 79-7 (11.9%) and S 86-10 (4.4%) were the predominant EPT, persisting between 4 and 6 years in the community. A cocirculation of more than one electropherotype was observed annually. The results provide information concerning the number of different electropherotypes of human rotavirus in the community, the sequential pattern of electropherotype appearance and the length of time for which an electropherotype may persist.