Utility of terminal hemadsorption for detection of hemadsorbing respiratory viruses from conventional shell vial cultures for laboratories using R-Mix cultures.
BACKGROUND
Many laboratories using R-Mix cell lines inoculate other shell vial cultures to improve the recovery of viruses, and in particular, perform terminal hemadsorption (THad) following 10-14 days of incubation to improve detection of respiratory viruses. We explored the cost-effectiveness and added benefits of THad on conventional shell vial cultures from respiratory samples for laboratories using R-Mix cell lines.


OBJECTIVE
To determine if eliminating the practice of THad from conventional shell vial culture when R-Mix cultures are negative, would result in a significant reduction in the number of hemadsorbing respiratory viruses detected.


METHODS
THad results were retrospectively reviewed for 41,129 respiratory shell vial cultures that were set up concurrently with R-Mix cultures.


RESULTS
Greater than 95% of hemadsorbing respiratory viruses were recovered by R-Mix standard protocol within 24h of inoculation, and only 5% were detected by THad at 10-14 days.


CONCLUSIONS
The practice of hemadsorption at days 10-14 for conventional shell vial cultures from respiratory specimens should be discontinued for laboratories using R-Mix due to its low yield, questionable clinical impact of delayed results and additional costs.
Taggart
E W
EW
Infectious Diseases Laboratory, Associated Regional and University Pathologists Laboratories, 500 Chipeta Way, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, United States. taggarew@aruplab.com
Crist
Gwen
G
Billetdeaux
Erick
E
Langer
Janine
J
Petti
Cathy A
CA
D002460:Cell Line; D006382:Hemadsorption; D006801:Humans; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000821:virology*; D014776:Virus Cultivation / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014780:Viruses / Q000302:isolation & purification*