Ability of TESTPACK ROTAVIRUS enzyme immunoassay to diagnose rotavirus gastroenteritis

TESTPACK ROTAVIRUS, a simple 10-min enzyme immunoassay, was compared with electron microscopy and Pathfinder enzyme immunoassay on feces from 172 patients of various ages with gastroenteritis. The percent sensitivities and specificities before blocking with antiserum were as follows: TESTPACK, 100% sensitivity and 99% specificity; Pathfinder, 95% sensitivity and 98% specificity. After blocking, the sensitivity and specificity, respectively, were 100% and 100% for TESTPACK and 95% and 99% for Pathfinder. TESTPACK ROTAVIRUS was more sensitive, but not significantly, than Pathfinder (P greater than 0.1) and the direct electron microscopy technique (P greater than 0.1).