Evaluation of an immunochromatography method for rapid detection of noroviruses in clinical specimens in Thailand

✍ Scribed by Aksara Thongprachum; Pattara Khamrin; Natthawan Chaimongkol; Rungnapa Malasao; Shoko Okitsu; Masashi Mizuguchi; Niwat Maneekarn; Hiroshi Ushijima

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2010
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 60 KB
• Volume: 82
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0146-6615
• DOI: 10.1002/jmv.21916

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Norovirus (NoV) is a causative agent of gastroenteritis in children and adults worldwide. Although reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) has been accepted as the standard method for diagnosis of NoV infection, it requires well‐trained personnel and sophisticated equipments. Performance of a commercial immunochromatography (IC) test for rapid detection of NoV was evaluated with fecal specimens collected from children admitted to a hospital with acute gastroenteritis during 2005–2007 in Chiang Mai, Thailand. A total of 463 fecal specimens were tested for the presence of NoV by a commercial immunochromatography kit (IP‐NoV) and by RT‐PCR. Sensitivity, specificity, and agreement of immunochromatography as compared to RT‐PCR were 74.2%, 99.5%, and 96.1%, respectively. Based on the NoV genotypes determined by phylogenetic analysis, immunochromatography detected NoV GII/3, GII/4, GII/6, GII/13, GII/15, and GII/16 genotypes. The findings indicate that the immunochromatography kit could be used for a direct detection of NoV GII in clinical specimens and covering a wide range of NoV genotypes circulating in Thailand. J. Med. Virol. 82:2106–2109, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.