An evaluation of the RIDASCREEN and IDEIA enzyme immunoassays and the RIDAQUICK immunochromatographic test for the detection of norovirus in faecal specimens.

BACKGROUND: The detection of norovirus by ELISA and immunochromatographic methods may facilitate epidemiological studies into the global disease burden associated with norovirus gastroenteritis and provide a quick method of testing for norovirus infection.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the new RIDASCREEN norovirus ELISA (3rd generation) and RIDAQUICK norovirus immunochromatographic test on a collection of samples from Brazilian children with acute gastroenteritis, and compare them against the established 2nd generation IDEIA norovirus assay.

STUDY DESIGN: Reverse transcriptase PCR, the study reference standard, was used to test 726 specimens for the presence of norovirus. All 96 norovirus positive samples and a systematic selection of negative samples were tested by RIDASCREEN, RIDAQUICK and IDEIA norovirus tests.

RESULTS: The sensitivity of RIDASCREEN for the detection of norovirus was 63% (95% CI: 53-72%) and RIDAQUICK 69% (95% CI: 58-78%); both were >98% specific. The IDEIA had a sensitivity of 45% (95% CI: 35-55%), significantly lower than RIDASCREEN and RIDAQUICK (p≤0.01). The sensitivity of RIDASCREEN and RIDAQUICK in detecting GII.4 noroviruses, the principal norovirus strain identified in community and nosocomial infection globally, was 78% and 88% respectively.

CONCLUSION: The norovirus RIDASCREEN test may be useful in epidemiological studies of norovirus infection and the norovirus RIDAQUICK test offers an accurate and rapid method of detecting norovirus infection.