Rapid diagnosis of rotavirus infections: comparison of electron microscopy and immunoelectroosmophoresis for the detection of rotavirus in human infantile gastroenteritis.

Eighty-seven faecal samples from infants and children suffering from acute gastroenteritis were investigated for the presence of rotavirus by immunoelectroosmophoresis (IEOP) and electron microscopy (EM). Sixty-one % of the samples contained rotavirus antigens when examined by IEOP whereas only 50% were diagnosed as positive EM. However, where it was possible to perform EM within the same day that the sample was received it took 24 h to establish the diagnosis by IEOP. The high sensitivity of the IEOP method was achieved by application of antiserum produced in rabbits to rotavirus immunoprecipitates. The specificity and sensitivity of the diagnostic antiserum produced were tested by application of different immunoelectrophoretic methods.