Astrovirus Ag
Astrovirus Ag ELISA is an in-vitro-diagnostic device for direct detection of Astrovirus in fecal samples.
Astrovirus was first described in 1975 and named according to its star-shaped structure visible under the electron microscope.
Astrovirus belongs to the family Astroviridae. Human Astroviruses are subdivided into 7 serotypes (1). Together with Rotavirus and Adenovirus Astrovirus is one of the most common causes of non-bacterial gastroenteritis in children under 5 years of age all over the world. Thus 80% of children between 5 and 10 years of age are anti-Astrovirusantibody positive. Astrovirus caused gastroenteritis in adults and nosocomial infections are observed as well (2). The course of the disease is usually self-limiting and of short duration. After an incubation time of 1-2 days a 1-4 days lasting gastroenteritis develops accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea, fever and abdominal pain finally causing dehydration. Although occurring all over the year Astrovirus infections are mainly observed during the winter months (3,4). Astrovirus infections are spread via fecal-oral transmission from person to person or via contaminated things or food. Infected persons excrete high amounts of Astrovirus particles with their feces (1,2).
The detection of Astrovirus may be performed by electron microscopy or by molecular biology techniques such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Meanwhile immunological methods like enzyme immunoassay have established as preferential methods for routine laboratory diagnosis since these methods are fast, economical and automation is possible (1).
Astrovirus AG ELISA is a fast enzymometric one-step immunoassay on the basis of polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies.
Diluted stool specimens and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) labeled monoclonal anti-Astrovirus-antibodies are dispensed simultaneously into the wells of a microtitration plate coated with polyclonal anti-Astrovirus-antibodies. After an incubation time of 60 min at room temperature (RT) unbound components are removed by a washing step. HRP converts the subsequently added colorless substrate solution of 3,3’,5,5’-Tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) within a 10 min reaction time at room temperature protected from light into a blue product. The enzyme reaction is terminated by sulphuric acid dispensed into the wells turning the solution from blue to yellow. The optical density (OD) of the solution read at 450/620 nm is directly proportional to the specifically bound amount of Astrovirus.
- Rohwedder, A. (2000): “Virale Gastroenteritiden, Erreger und Diagnostik”, Mikrobiologe, 10. Jg. P.121-126.
- Palombo, E. A. and Bishop, R. F. (1996): “Annual Incidence, Serotype Distribution and Genetic Diversity of Human Astrovirus Isolates from Hospitalized Children in Melbourne, Australia”; Journal of Clinical Microbiology, Vol. 34, No. 7, p. 1750-1753.
- Cukor, G. and Blacklow, N. R. (1984): “Human Viral Gastroenteritis”, Microbiological Reviews, June, Vol. 48 No. 2, p. 157-179.
- Gaggero, A.; O´Ryan, M. et al. (1998): “Prevalence of Astrovirus Infection among Chilean Children with Acute Gastroenteritis”, Journal of Clinical Microbiology, Vol. 36, No. 12, p. 3691-3693.