Mans, JanetVan Zyl, Walda B.Taylor, Maureen B.Page, Nicola AnneSobsey, M.D.Barnard, T.G.Potgieter, Natasha2015-11-112015-11-112014-03Mans, J, Van Zyl, WB, Taylor, MB, Page, NA, Sobsey, MD, Barnard, TG & Potgieter, N 2014, 'Applicability of Bio-wipes for the collection of human faecal specimens for detection and characterisation of enteric viruses', Tropical Medicine and International Health, vol. 19, no. 3, pp. 293-300.1360-2276 (print)1365-3156 (online)10.1111/tmi.12251http://hdl.handle.net/2263/50406OBJECTIVE : To determine whether gastroenteritis viruses and other enteric viruses could be detected in faecal specimens collected with Bio-wipes. METHODS : Faecal specimens, self-collected with Bio-wipes, from 190 individuals (94 diarrhoeal, 93 non-diarrhoeal, 3 unknown) were screened for eight human enteric viruses (enterovirus, hepatitis A virus, adenovirus, astrovirus, norovirus GI and GII, sapovirus and rotavirus) by real-time (reverse transcription)-polymerase chain reaction. Rotaviruses and noroviruses from positive specimens were genotyped. results At least one enteric virus could be detected in 82.6% (157/190) of faecal specimens. Mixed infections of up to four different viruses could be detected in both diarrhoeal and non-diarrhoeal specimens. Enteroviruses were detected most frequently (63.7%), followed by adenoviruses (48.4%) and noroviruses (32.2%). Genotyping was successful for 78.6% of rotaviruses and 44.8% of noroviruses. CONCLUSIONS : Bio-wipes provide a user friendly, easier method for stool collection that facilitates enteric virus detection and genetic characterisation.en© John Wiley and Sons, Ltd. This is the pre-peer reviewed version of the following article : Applicability of Bio-wipes for the collection of human faecal specimens for detection and characterisation of enteric viruses, Tropical Medicine & International Health, vol. 19, no. 3, pp. 293-300, 2014. doi : 10.1111/tmi.12251. The definite version is available at : http://onlinelibrary.wiley.comjournal/10.1111/(ISSN)1365-3156.Faecal specimenVirus detectionBio-wipesEnteric virusesPostprint Article