Article in Japanese

Evaluation of the clinical value of Norovirus antigen rapid diagnostic kit, Quicknavi^TM-Norovirus in pediatric patients

Maho ICHIKAWA, Kei NUMAZAKI

To diagnose Norovirus infection, Norovirus antigen rapid diagnostic kits were developed for practical use in clinics. Quicknavi^TM is one of the Norovirus antigen rapid diagnostic kits by immune chromatography. Results can be obtained within 20 minutes using this diagnostic kit. We examined Quicknavi^TM using rectal swabs from children with acute gastroenterocolitis and compared the results with the real-time RT-PCR assay. Clinical specimens were obtained from 33 patients (male 20, female 13), 0 to 8 years (average 1.7), from December 2009 to February 2010 at the Department of Pediatrics of the International University of Health and Welfare Hospital, Nasu-shiobara Tochigi, Japan. Sensitivity results were 91.7%, those of specificity were 57.1% and the positive predictive value was 69.7%. There were no differences in the results from age, sex, quality of illness, and quantity of viral amount. Only the type 2 geno-group was found by real-time RT-PCR assay. Judging from these results, this kit was considered to be useful in pediatric clinics. It seems to be especially useful in the detection of the virus in the outpatient setting and in prevention of the spread of infections. Officially this kit is licensed only for fecal specimens but not for rectal swabs. However, fecal specimens can not be easily obtained from small children. Expanding the license for rectal swabs or developing a new diagnostic kit is recommended.

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Division of International Infectious Diseases, Graduate School of Health and Welfare, International University of Health and Welfare

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Received	January 18, 2012
Accepted	August 7, 2012

24 (4)：417─421,2013