A new screening test for rotavirus infection

A simple and rapid staphylococcal coagglutination test, using rabbit antisera prepared against Nebraska calf diarrhea virus (NCDV), is described for the detection of rotavirus in neonatal fecal specimens. When the samples were examined directly using the coagglutination test, more than 60% of the specimens agglutinated the control reagent. These non-specific reactions were markedly reduced by preincubation of the specimens with non-immune rabbit serum and further heating at 80 degrees C for 45 min. Such treatment did not reduce the specific activity in the coagglutination test when rotavirus-containing stools were tested. The coagglutination test was compared with ELISA in 290 stools positive or negative for rotavirus. The sensitivity of the coagglutination test was 92%, the specificity 91% and the predictive value 31%. These results indicate that coagglutination is a suitable test for rapid screening of rotavirus infection in clinical practice.