Table 1.
Summary of routine and newly emerged diagnostic approaches for gastroenteritis viruses.
| Detection Test | Method | Time | Benefits | Limitations | Refs. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electron microscope (EM) | TEM a SEM b |
3–10 days | Broad spectrum, a good test for direct detection and counting of viral particles | Low sensitivity, time consuming, expensive, and needing costly instruments and trained technicians | [27] |
| Cell culture | Conventional cell culture shell vial technique |
1–4 days | High specificity, cheap, broad spectrum | Time consuming, low sensitivity, very susceptible to bacterial and fungal contamination. It is not applicable for viruses that do not produce visible CPE. | [26,53] |
| Immunoassay | ELISA c RIA d CA e MEIA f CLIA g FPIA h HI i |
30 min–4 h | Acceptable sensitivity, easily settled, need few reagents | Limited sensitivity, time consuming, laborious, and does not produce quantitative data. | [21,59] |
| Molecular techniques | PCR j Real-time PCR RT-PCR k DNA Microarrays LAMP l NGS m |
3–10 h | High sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy, high dynamic range action | Need for special instruments, more time, and pre-PCR processes; inability to differentiate viable pathogens from dead ones, and risk of contamination. | [62,63,64] |
| Biosensors | Electrochemical Optical Piezoelectric |
3 min–2.30 h | Cheap, simple, rapid, high-level sensitivity and selectivity, reproducibility, low limit of detection, and accurate | - | [69] |
a Transmission electron microscopy. b Scanning electron microscopy. c Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. d Radioimmunoassay. e Immunochemiluminescent assay. f Micro-particle enzyme immunoassay. g Chemiluminescent immunoassay. h Fluorescence polarization immunoassay. i Hemagglutination inhibition. j Polymerase chain reaction. k Reverse transcription PCR. l Loop-mediated isothermal amplification. m Next-generation sequencing.