Detection of hepatitis E virus RNA in stools and serum by reverse transcription-PCR

Abstract

Stools and sera collected during an experimental hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection in monkeys and collected from humans with acute HEV infections during epidemic and sporadic cases were analyzed by reverse transcription-PCR. Two methods for RNA purification were compared. Proteinase K digestion and phenolchloroform extraction were more efficient than guanidinium isothiocyanate extraction in improving the sensitivity and specificity for the detection of HEV genomes.