title: A comparative evaluation of the sensitivity of two automated and two manual nucleic acid extraction methods for the detection of norovirus by RT-PCR.
abstract: The aim of the study was to compare the sensitivity of a norovirus RT-PCR method using two manual RNA extraction methods (Qiagen and Roche) and two automated RNA extraction methods (Qiagen and Corbett). All four RNA extraction methods gave similar sensitivities although the automated methods, especially the Corbett, required significantly less labour than the manual methods. The automated methods also enabled RNA extraction of approximately two to three times the number of specimens in a given time period compared to manual methods.
authors.affiliation: Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, 10 Wreckyn Street, North Melbourne, Victoria 3051, Australia. kristie.witlox@mh.org.au
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Witlox
authors.forename: T N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Bruggink
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Catton
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Marshall
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D029322:Norovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral