Dual-label time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay for the simultaneous detection of adenovirus and rotavirus in faeces

Dual-label time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay (TR-FIA) was used for the simultaneous detection of adenovirus and rotavirus in stool specimens. A one-incubation 1 h assay was used. Altogether 169 stool specimens collected from hospitalized children with acute gastroenteritis were tested. The specimens were dispensed with europium and terbium labelled antibodies against adenovirus and rotavirus, respectively, to coated microtitration strip wells. The 11 specimens positive for adenovirus in the EIA were also found positive in the TR-FIA. Fifty-six specimens positive for rotavirus with the reference EIA and one additional specimen were positive with the dual-label TR-FIA. Although the simultaneous assay using terbium and europium chelates gave lower assay sensitivities for both adenovirus and rotavirus when compared to separate assays using only europium chelates, the sensitivities were found to be at least equal to those of conventional standard antispecies EIA. With this one-incubation dual-label TR-FIA the results were obtained in less than 1.5 h for two viruses.