A total of 176 human fecal specimens were examined for the presence of rotavirus by four different assays: a monoclonal antibody enzyme immunoassay; the original polyclonal antibody enzyme immunoassay marketed by Abbott Laboratories, North Chicago, Ill. (Rotazyme I); a modification of this assay which is now commercially available (Rotazyme II); and a latex agglutination test (Rotalex) recently introduced by Medical Technology Corp., Somerset, N.J. In addition, selected specimens were examined for the presence of rotavirus by electron microscopy, immune electron microscopy, and RNA gel electrophoresis. A total of 40 specimens were positive in the monoclonal antibody enzyme immunoassay, and 136 were negative. Using the results obtained with this procedure as the reference standard, we found the sensitivities of the Rotazyme I, Rotazyme II, and Rotalex tests to be 97.4, 100, and 81.6%, respectively. The specificities of these three procedures were 88.8, 83.9, and 100%, respectively.

We have prepared monoclonal antibodies to each of the enteric adenoviruses types 40 and 41. Three different hybridoma cell lines were selected which produced antibody found to react by radioimmunoprecipitation with adenovirus (Ad) hexon antigens. One was specific for Ad 40, another for Ad 41, and a third one reacted with both types. When tested in an enzyme immunoassay against all 41 known human Ad types, the type-specific monoclonal antibody against Ad 40 reacted homotypically, as did the monoclonal antibody against Ad 41. In addition, these monoclonal antibodies neutralized the homologous enteric Ad type. The monoclonal antibody which reacted with both enteric Ad types also showed lower levels of reactivity with the group C adenoviruses types 2, 5, and 6. The monoclonal antibodies produced will provide a definitive means for rapid identification of specific Ad types, and will be useful in defining the relationship of enteric adenoviruses to other types.