Comparison of respiratory virus detection rates for infants and toddlers by use of flocked swabs, saline aspirates, and saline aspirates mixed in universal transport medium for room temperature storage and shipping.
A nylon flocked swab/universal transport medium collection method developed for bacterial sexually transmitted infections was adapted to detect respiratory viruses in infants and toddlers. This method significantly outperformed the traditional use of nasal aspirates in terms of PCR-based virus detection (P = 0.016), and the samples were easier for clinicians to evaluate, store, and transport.
Walsh
Paul
P
Department of Emergency Medicine, Kern Medical Center, 1830 Flower St, Bakersfield, CA 93312, USA. yousentwhohome@gmail.com
Overmyer
Christina Lim
CL
Pham
Kiemanh
K
Michaelson
Scott
S
Gofman
Larisa
L
DeSalvia
Lisa
L
Tran
Ty
T
Gonzalez
Diana
D
Pusavat
James
J
Feola
Melanie
M
Iacono
Kathryn T
KT
Mordechai
Eli
E
Adelson
Martin E
ME
D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000821:virology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods*; D013696:Temperature; D014773:Virology / Q000379:methods*; D014780:Viruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*