Diagnosis of viral respiratory tract infections in children by using a reverse transcription-PCR panel.
Reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) is a sensitive method for detection of RNA virus nucleic acid sequences in clinical respiratory specimens. Previous studies have focused on RT-PCR for a single virus, but this approach is limited by the inability to establish a specific etiology when the RT-PCR result is negative and by the inability to document simultaneous infections involving more than one virus. The purpose of this study was to apply a panel of RT-PCR protocols for respiratory syncytial virus, parainfluenza virus, and picornaviruses to respiratory specimens from 80 children suspected to have acute viral respiratory tract infections and to correlate RT-PCR results with viral culture results and clinical diagnosis. In comparison with viral culture, the RT-PCR panel had a sensitivity of over 94% and showed evidence of simultaneous infections in a significantly greater proportion of specimens (20.0% versus 3.8%; P < 0.002). For specimens in which no viruses were detected by culture, the proportion of specimens with positive picornavirus RT-PCR results was significantly greater than the proportion of specimens with positive respiratory syncytial virus or parainfluenza virus RT-PCR results (P < 0.001). There were no statistically significant associations between RT-PCR results and clinical diagnosis. In summary, the RT-PCR panel provides an improved approach to obtain new insights into acute viral respiratory tract infections in children.
Gilbert
L L
LL
University of British Columbia Pulmonary Research Laboratory, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, Canada.
Dakhama
A
A
Bone
B M
BM
Thomas
E E
EE
Hegele
R G
RG
D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018184:Paramyxoviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D010849:Picornaviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010850:Picornaviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D012136:Respiratory Syncytial Viruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D018108:Respirovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014773:Virology / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral