title: Rapid diagnosis of respiratory viral infections by using a shell vial assay and monoclonal antibody pool.
abstract: We compared the detection of seven respiratory viruses by using a commercially available monoclonal antibody pool in a 2-day shell vial assay with that by using standard cell culture with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-negative nasal secretions from hospitalized children. We found 179 respiratory virus isolates by either method in 675 specimens. Overall, the shell vial assay detected 147 of 179 (79%) of the positives after 2 days; cell culture detected 148 of 179 (80%) after a mean incubation period of 7.6 days (range, 1 to 14 days). The sensitivity of the shell vial assay was 78% for RSV, 94% for influenza B virus, 83% for adenovirus, and 80% for parainfluenza viruses. The sensitivity of the cell culture was 70% for RSV, 79% for influenza B virus, 90% for adenovirus, and 89% for parainfluenza viruses. The 2-day shell vial assay allowed the detection of respiratory viruses in a clinically relevant time frame and rapidly detected RSV in specimens lacking RSV antigen by ELISA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Kentucky.
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Rabalais
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Stout
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Ladd
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Cost
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002648:Child; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D012136:Respiratory Syncytial Viruses / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014780:Viruses / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000956:Antigens, Viral