Development of multiplex polymerase chain reaction for the detection and differentiation of enteric adenoviruses in stool samples

To find a technique of detecting and differentiating enteric adenoviruses (EAds) in clinical samples, a novel PCR approach was developed. EAds were able to be detected by use of a pair of subgroup F general primers (P1 and P2), and they were also be able to be differentiated from each other in the presence of another adenovirus type 40 (Ad40) specific primer (P3) in the same tube. Our results showed that there was one band for Ad41 and two bands for Ad40, respectively, on running-gel after PCR performance. PCR was performed on 40 specimens in parallel directly with dot-hybridization assay on the same diluted stool samples. 20 of 40 specimens were positive by hybridization (of them 12 were Ad41 and 8 were Ad40), whereas 26 were positive by PCR performance on the same samples with Ad41 18 and Ad40 8 positive as well. Our study indicated that this novel method could be used in clinical laboratory or in epidemic investigation for Eads