SIMPLE PROCEDURE FOR DISCRIMINATION AND TYPING OF ENTERIC ADENOVIRUSES AFTER DETECTION BY POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION

A procedure was developed for specific discrimination and typing of th e enteric human adenoviruses, Ad40 and Ad41, after polymerase chain re action (PCR) amplification of a sequence in the hexon gene highly cons erved among all 47 serotypes recognised. By Tag I restriction of the 3 00 bp amplimers, subgenus F DNA could be discriminated from DNAs of ad enoviruses belonging to all other subgenera. Discrimination between Ad 40 and Ad41 was subsequently achieved by cleavage with either Cfo I, H inP I, Mae III, Mvn I, and/or Rsa I. Thus, PCR detection of viral DNA combined with restriction analysis of amplified products provides a va luable tool for use in epidemiological studies of diarrhoea of adenovi ral aetiology. (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.