COMPARISON OF DETECTION METHODS FOR ADENOVIRUS FROM ENTERIC CLINICAL SPECIMENS

Fecal samples submitted for virus examination over July 1990 to June 1 991 from children <3 years of age were examined by electron microscopy (EM), virus culture (VC), and enzyme immunoassay [EIA, group-reactive and adenovirus (Ad) 40/41 specific; Cambridge BioScience] to compare the detection rate of adenovirus from pediatric fecal specimens. Ad is olates of serotypes 1-7 grown in HEp-2 or primary rhesus monkey kidney cells were identified by neutralization. Graham 293 cell cultures wer e used only when specimens were found to be positive for Ad by EM, typ e-specific Ad40/41 EIA, and for isolates nor identified by neutralizat ion. Ads grown in 293 cells were identified by DNA restriction endonuc lease analysis. Of the 1187 specimens examined, 105 (9%) were found to be positive for Ad, VC detected 93, while 12 additional positives wer e detected by EM or EIA. The relative sensitivity of VC, EIA, and EM f or the 105 specimens was 89% (93), 45% (47), and 35% (37), respectivel y. Among the 105 positive specimens, enteric Ad, nonenteric Ad, and un typeable Ad were 28% (29), 65% (68), and 7% (8), respectively. Of 37 E M positives, 62% (23) were enteric Ad; 27% (10) were nonenteric includ ing serotypes 2, 3, 4, 5, 12, and 31, with 4, 1, 1, 2, 1, and 1 isolat es of each type positive, respectively; and 11% (4) were detectable on ly by EM. Five isolates were identified as variant of Ad 2(3), Ad 3(1) and Ad 31(1). Over a 1-year period, a single Ad41 variant strain was the most frequently detected enteric Ad in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. For maximum detection rates of Ad viruses in pediatric fecal specimen s, a combination of EM, VC, and EIA is required, bur group-reactive EI A, or EM followed by Ad40/41-specific EIA of initial positives, are th e most direct and efficient methods for enteric Ad detection.