Comparative analysis of viral concentration methods for detecting the HAV genome using real-time RT-PCR amplification.

Hepatitis A is a major infectious disease epidemiologically associated with foodborne and waterborne outbreaks. Molecular detection using real-time RT-PCR to detect the hepatitis A virus (HAV) in contaminated vegetables can be hindered by low-virus recoveries during the concentration process and by natural PCR inhibitors in vegetables. This study evaluated three virus concentration methods from vegetables: polyethylene glycol (PEG) precipitation, ultrafiltration (UF), and immunomagnetic separation (IMS).

Detecting hepatitis E virus with a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

This study aimed to develop a specific and sensitive reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (RT-PCR-ELISA) for detecting hepatitis E virus (HEV). Eight sets of primers and biotinylated probes designed in the ORF2-ORF3 overlapping region of HEV were tested for sensitivity. The ability of nested reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and RT-PCR-ELISA to detect HEV was compared.

Development of duplex RT-PCR-ELISA for the simultaneous detection of hepatitis A virus and hepatitis E virus.

This study aimed to develop a specific and sensitive duplex reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (duplex RT-PCR-ELISA) for hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis E virus (HEV). Duplex RT-PCR-ELISA could detect and differentiate HAV and HEV with specific probes. When ELISA technique was used to detect probe-bound RT-PCR products, duplex RT-PCR-ELISA could detect as little as 0.

Seasonal prevalence of asymptomatic norovirus infection in Korean children.

The prevalence of asymptomatic norovirus (NoV) infection was investigated in children registered for kindergarten in Korea during the winter and summer. Children with no gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhea and abdominal pain, during the 2 weeks before and following sample collection were included in this investigation. NoV presence and genetic identification were determined with real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and conventional nested reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction.