title: Comparison of automated microarray detection with real-time PCR assays for detection of respiratory viruses in specimens obtained from children.
abstract: Respiratory virus infections are a major health concern and represent the primary cause of testing consultation and hospitalization for young children. We developed and compared two assays that allow the detection of up to 23 different respiratory viruses that frequently infect children. The first method consisted of single TaqMan quantitative real-time PCR assays in a 96-well-plate format. The second consisted of a multiplex PCR followed by primer extension and microarray hybridization in an integrated molecular diagnostic device, the Infiniti analyzer. Both of our assays can detect adenoviruses of groups A, B, C, and E; coronaviruses HKU1, 229E, NL63, and OC43; enteroviruses A, B, C, and D; rhinoviruses of genotypes A and B; influenza viruses A and B; human metapneumoviruses (HMPV) A and B, human respiratory syncytial viruses (HRSV) A and B; and parainfluenza viruses of types 1, 2, and 3. These tests were used to identify viruses in 221 nasopharyngeal aspirates obtained from children hospitalized for respiratory tract infections. Respiratory viruses were detected with at least one of the two methods in 81.4% of the 221 specimens: 10.0% were positive for HRSV A, 38.0% for HRSV B, 13.1% for influenzavirus A, 8.6% for any coronaviruses, 13.1% for rhinoviruses or enteroviruses, 7.2% for adenoviruses, 4.1% for HMPV, and 1.5% for parainfluenzaviruses. Multiple viral infections were found in 13.1% of the specimens. The two methods yielded concordant results for 94.1% of specimens. These tests allowed a thorough etiological assessment of respiratory viruses infecting children in hospital settings and would assist public health interventions.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Disease Research Center of the CHUQ-CHUL and Laval University, Sainte-Foy, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Raymond
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carbonneau
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Boucher
authors.forename: Lynda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Robitaille
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Boisvert
authors.forename: Whei-Kuo
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Gaston
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Serres
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Boivin
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Corbeil
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D046228:Microarray Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000821:virology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000821:virology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D014780:Viruses / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*