title: Applicability of Bio-wipes for the collection of human faecal specimens for detection and characterisation of enteric viruses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether gastroenteritis viruses and other enteric viruses could be detected in faecal specimens collected with Bio-wipes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Faecal specimens, self-collected with Bio-wipes, from 190 individuals (94 diarrhoeal, 93 non-diarrhoeal, 3 unknown) were screened for eight human enteric viruses (enterovirus, hepatitis A virus, adenovirus, astrovirus, norovirus GI and GII, sapovirus and rotavirus) by real-time (reverse transcription)-polymerase chain reaction. Rotaviruses and noroviruses from positive specimens were genotyped.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At least one enteric virus could be detected in 82.6% (157/190) of faecal specimens. Mixed infections of up to four different viruses could be detected in both diarrhoeal and non-diarrhoeal specimens. Enteroviruses were detected most frequently (63.7%), followed by adenoviruses (48.4%) and noroviruses (32.2%). Genotyping was successful for 78.6% of rotaviruses and 44.8% of noroviruses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bio-wipes provide a user friendly, easier method for stool collection that facilitates enteric virus detection and genetic characterisation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Virology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mans
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Virology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
authors.forename: W B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: van Zyl
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Virology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.|National Health Laboratory Service, Tswhane Academic Division, Pretoria, South Africa.
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: Virology Division, Center for Enteric Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg, South Africa.
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Page
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Sobsey
authors.affiliation: Water and Health Research Centre, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein, South Africa.
authors.forename: T G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Barnard
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Potgieter
mesh_terms: D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000821:virology*; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology*; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D060005:Genotyping Techniques / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008875:Middle Aged; D010802:Phylogeny; D012328:RNA Viruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Bio‐wipe; enteric virus; faecal specimen; virus detection