Rapid ELISA for the diagnosis of rotavirus.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES Rotavirus is the major cause of gastroenteritis in infants and young children all over the world. The objective of the study was to develop a rapid ELISA for the diagnosis of rotavirus infection in children hospitalised with diarrhoea. METHODS Immune serum was raised in rabbits by inoculating semipurified rotavirus, SA-11 strain. Immunoglobulins were conjugated to horse radish peroxidase and a rapid ELISA for rotavirus diagnosis was developed. The rapid ELISA was compared with routine ELISA, developed earlier at NIV. RESULTS Of the 155 faecal samples from patients with diarrhoea, 96 were positive by rapid ELISA and 95 in routine NIV ELISA. OD values were higher in rapid ELISA. The rapid ELISA takes only 4 h to complete. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION Rotavirus diagnosis by rapid ELISA is simple and easy to perform. This may lead to a significant reduction in the unnecessary usage of antibiotics, which cannot control infection due to rotavirus. This technology is being commercialized.