Rotavirus is shed in high concentration
in the stool (~1012 viruses/G) of children
with gastroenteritis. Therefore measurement
of rotavirus antigen in the stool has been
used to identify rotavirus infected patients.
Enzyme immunoassay (EIA) directed at an
antigen common to all group A rotaviruses
has been widely used to determine the virus
antigen presence in the stool. Latex agglutination
method is also used and this technique
may be less sensitive than EIA. Electron
microscopy and polyacrylamide gel
electrophoresis are also used to determine
the virus (Beards, 1988). Reverse
transcription-polymerase chain reaction can
detect all species and serotypes of rotavirus
(Nishimura et al., 1993; Fischer and
Gentsch, 2004). Enzyme immunoassay for