Faecal samples from 325 children with gastroenteritis and 23 children without gastroenteritis were examined for the presence of human rotavirus (HRV) using four different methods. Using the WHO-ELISA, HRV was found in the stools of 98 (30%) symptomatic and 2 (9%) asymptomatic children. A latex particle agglutination test had the highest sensitivity (92%) but the lowest specificity (96%). Both electron microscopy and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of HRV RNA (RNA-PAGE) were highly specific (100%) but of lower sensitivity (73% and 84% respectively). Of the four methods tested latex particle agglutination is the simplest and since it requires little extra equipment is ideally suited for bedside tests in tropical countries. It is, however, not cheap. An alternative is to use RNA-PAGE which will require some equipment and a power supply but which is relatively cheap and will also provide epidemiological data.

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