This paper presents a method which could provide a simple, rapid, economical, and reliable means of detecting or identifying adenoviruses (Advs), rotaviruses (RVs) and reoviruses (ReoVs) in stool suspensions or tissue cultures. The method is based on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) of the virus nucleic acids, but sample preparation does not need the use of radioactive label, specific DNA probe or antisera. Comparison of the results of PAGE of Adv, RV and ReoV with those of electron microscopy (EM) and/or enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA) was made. The method is of comparable sensitivity to electron microscopy, and is not limited by amount of specimens obtained, and is thus suitable for application as a batch testing method.