Background: Human rotavirus (HRV) is the causative agent of severe gastroenteritis in children and responsible for two million hospitalizations and more than a half-million deaths annually. Sequence characteristics of the gene segments encoding the VP7 and VP4 proteins are used for the genotype classification of rotavirus. A wide variety of molecular methods are available, mainly based on rever...

A variety of factors that influence real-time reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR results were examined. Realtime reaction volumes can be decreased from the manufacturers suggested volumes (50μl) to as little as 5μl. Errors introduced through volume handlings can be significantly mitigated through the use of electronic pipettes. Random hexamers are compared against the use of a specific reverse tran...