Comparison of agarose gel electrophoresis and RNA-PAGE for rapid detection of rotavirus from faecal samples

Rapid and correct diagnosis of rotavirus infection is very important to offer immediate treatment. In the present study, ribonucleic acid-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (RNA-PAGE) and agarose gel electrophoresis (AGE) methods _xre standardised and compared for the detection of rotaviruses. Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) of rotavirus was extracted from five positive faecal samples by QIAamp Viral RNA Mini Kit and subjected to RNA-PAGE where the concentration of separating gel was varying, i.e. 7.0%, 8.5% and 12.5%. The bands of the RNA segments _xre clearly separated on 7.0% and 8.5% separating gel. Extracted dsRNA was also subjected to AGE where the concentration of gel was varying at 0.8%, 1.2%, 1.6% and 2.0% containing ethidium bromide. All the 11 bands of 11 segments of dsRNA _xre clearly visualised in all the concentrations of gel while 1.2% gel sho_xd clear and separated bands of ladder as _xll as samples. Different concentrations of rotavirus, i.e. 100-1000 ng, _xre also loaded on standardised RNA-PAGE and AGE, separately. Ho_xver, both the methods sho_xd same detection level up to 100 ng particles of dsRNA. Further, the time required for extraction of dsRNA from five samples, their PAGE running and staining by silver stain took around 6-7 h which was comparatively more than the AGE separation, took only 2-3 h for complete procedure. Extracted dsRNA of rotavirus from 100 stool samples of children and 42 faecal samples of piglets _xre subjected to standardised RNA-PAGE and AGE separately for detection of rotavirus. Interestingly, 38 (38%) samples from children and 3 (7.14%) from piglet _xre found to be positive for rotavirus by AGE. Ho_xver, RNA-PAGE could detect only 34 (34%) samples from children and 3 (7.14%) from piglets. Out of 38 positive samples from children, 32 sho_xd long electrophoretic patterns and remaining 6 sho_xd short electrophoretic pattern while that for 3 piglet samples, all sho_xd long electrophoretic pattern. Thus, from our results, it can be concluded that the AGE is highly sensitive (91.17%), marginally less specific (90.90%), reproducible, superior, efficient, less laborious, cost-effective and time-saving than the RNA-PAGE for rapid diagnosis of rotavirus from faecal samples of humans as _xll as animals.