Evaluation of third-generation RIDASCREEN enzyme immunoassay for the detection of norovirus antigens in stool samples of hospitalized children in Belém, Pará, Brazil

• Published in: Diagnostic microbiology and infectious disease 2011-12, Vol.71 (4), p.391-395
• Main Authors: Siqueira, Jones Anderson Monteiro, Linhares, Alexandre da Costa, Oliveira, Darleise de Souza, Soares, Luana da Silva, Lucena, Maria Silvia Sousa, Wanzeller, Ana Lúcia Monteiro, Mascarenhas, Joana D'Arc Pereira, Gabbay, Yvone Benchimol
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antigens, Viral - analysis; Biological and medical sciences; Brazil; Caliciviridae Infections - diagnosis; Caliciviridae Infections - virology; Child, Hospitalized; Child, Preschool; EIA; Feces - virology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gastroenteritis - virology; Genotype; Humans; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Infant; Infectious Disease; Infectious diseases; Internal Medicine; Medical sciences; Microbiology; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; Miscellaneous; Norovirus; Norovirus - chemistry; Norovirus - genetics; Norovirus - isolation & purification; Norovirus - ultrastructure; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Viral - genetics; RT-PCR; Semi-Nested-RT-PCR; Sensitivity and Specificity; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Virion - ultrastructure; Virology
• ISSN: 0732-8893; 1879-0070
• DOI: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2011.08.023

Abstract Noroviruses (NoVs) are major agents of gastroenteritis outbreaks and hospitalization worldwide. This study evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of the commercially available third-generation RIDASCREEN® Norovirus Enzyme Immunoassay (EIA) kit in comparison to the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to detect NoVs in hospitalized children with gastroenteritis. An agreement of 88% (81/92) was observed when comparing EIA with RT-PCR. A sensitivity of 92% and a specificity of 83.3% were demonstrated. Eleven samples were positive by 1 method only (4 RT-PCR/7 EIA). Fourteen samples were sequenced and all classified as NoV genogroup GII-4. The 7 positive only by EIA were also evaluated by electron microscopy, and in 3 (42.9%) samples viral particles with a suggestive morphology of NoVs were visualized. These same samples were tested by seminested-RT-PCR with a positivity of 85.7%. The results obtained in this study demonstrated a significant improvement in the sensitivity and specificity of this updated assay.