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Updated: Feb 8, 2026
Detection and Genogrouping of Noroviruses from Children's Stools By Taqman One-step RT-PCR
Published on: July 22, 2012
Detection of Norovirus by BD MAX™, Xpert® Norovirus, and xTAG® Gastrointestinal Pathogen Panel in stool and vomit
Martin P McHugh1, Daniel Guerendiain1, Alison Hardie1
1Department of Molecular Microbiology, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
Background:
Norovirus is a leading cause of infectious gastroenteritis, characterized by outbreaks of diarrhoea and vomiting in closed settings. Nucleic acid amplification tests allow rapid and sensitive laboratory diagnosis of norovirus, with a number of commercial platforms now available.
Objectives:
Evaluate the performance of the Becton Dickinson BD-MAX™System, Cepheid Xpert® Norovirus Assay, and Luminex xTAG® Gastrointestinal Pathogen Panel (GPP) for norovirus detection in stool. Assess the performance of the Xpert® Norovirus Assay and BD-MAX™ in vomit samples.
Study Design:
163 diarrhoeal stool samples were tested on four diagnostic systems (laboratory-defined real time RT-PCR (assigned as gold standard), BD MAX™, Xpert® Norovirus Assay, and xTAG® GPP). A further 70 vomit samples were tested on the Xpert and BD MAX platforms.
Results:
In stool, sensitivity and specificity of the BD-MAX™ was 96.8% and 100%, for Xpert® Norovirus Assay was 91.9% and 100%, and for xTAG® GPP was 79.0% and 87.1%. In vomit samples positive and negative percent agreement was 95.6% and 92.0%, between the BD-MAX™ and Xpert® Norovirus.
Conclusions:
The BD-MAX™ System with user defined settings and the Xpert® Norovirus Assay showed acceptable sensitivity and specificity for detection of norovirus from stool and vomit. The xTAG GPP assay was less reliable for norovirus detection but can detect a number of other clinically useful enteropathogens. Clinical laboratories must consider skill mix, budget, and sample throughput to determine the best fit for their service.
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