Rotavirus antigenemia and genomia in children with rotavirus gastroenteritis.

We investigated group A rotavirus (GARV) antigenemia and genomia in children with rotavirus gastroenteritis. A total of 16 patients (2-29 months old), who received a diagnosis of GARV gastroenteritis using a commercial rapid test, were enrolled in this study. The sera from the patients were tested for the presence of GARV antigen and the VP7 and NSP3 genes using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, respectively. Furthermore, when the VP7 gene was amplified, G type was identified and compared with that of GARV from the fecal samples of the patients. GARV antigen was detected in 12 of 16 serum samples (75.0%). No GARV antigen was found in infants that were 6 months old or younger. Thirteen of 16 serum samples (81.3%) were positive for GARV genes. In cases where both antigen and gene analyses were conducted, either GARV antigens or genes, or both, were detected in all cases. The GARV antigen levels of serum collected at 2 days of illness or more were significantly higher than were the levels in the samples obtained from the 1st day. Furthermore, the ELISA optical density values of patients with convulsion were significantly higher than were those of patients without convulsion, suggesting that the antigen level is associated with disease severity.