Abstract

Latex Agglutination Test: A tool for rapid diagnosis of Rotavirus from HIV sero-positive and sero-negative patients with diarrhea

Deepali M Masurkar, Sayeed I Khatib, Manita T Williamson, Nikita V Naik, Dakshita T Narvekar, Ashwini A Jadhav, Mahesh A Harale, Seja J Rathod, Pratibha J Shah

The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of Rotavirus in HIV sero-positive and sero-negative patients with diarrhea using a rapid Latex agglutination test and to correlate it with the clinical symptoms. A total of 126 patients (74 HIV sero-positive and 52 HIV sero-negative) with diarrhea were enrolled for this study. Of the total study population, 100 (79.37%) were adults and 26 (20.63%) were children. The incidence of acute diarrhea was 54 (42.86%) and chronic diarrhea was 72 (57.14%). Statistically, the difference between them was found to be significant (p = 3.33E–06). Chronic diarrhea was seen in 55 (74.32%) HIV sero-positive patients and acute diarrhea was seen in 35 (67.31%) HIV sero-negative patients. Rotavirus was detected in 9 (12.16%) HIV sero-positive patients and in 3 (5.56%) HIV sero-negative patients. Rotavirus positivity was higher in HIV sero-positive patients than in HIV sero-negative patients. Latex agglutination test was found to be a good tool for an easy and rapid detection of Rotavirus in stool specimen, making it an ideal bedside procedure.