[Detection of respiratory syncytial virus in children with respiratory tract infections by nucleic acid amplification fluorogenic quantitative assay].
OBJECTIVE
Nucleic acid amplification (PCR) fluorogenic quantitative assay is used for the diagnosis of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection. This study was designed to explore the sensitivity of PCR fluorogenic quantitative assay for ascertaining respiratory RSV infection and RSV infection conditions by detecting the presence of RSV-RNA related sequences in children.


METHODS
Bronchial and nasopharyngeal secretions specimens from 261 hospitalized children with respiratory tract infections from January 2007 to October 2008 were collected. Respiratory syncytial virus nucleic acid (RNA) in the specimens was measuredby PCR fluorogenic quantitative assay. Blood RSV-IgM was detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The sensitivity for ascertaining respiratory RSV infection was compared between the two assays.


RESULTS
The RSV-RNA positive rate ascertained by PCR fluorogenic quantitative assay (38.7%) was significantly higher than blood RSV-IgM positive rate (21.1%) (p<0.01). The RSV-RNA positive rate (43.6%) in children at ages of less than 6 months was significantly higher than that in children at ages of 1 to three years (32.1%) (p<0.01). The RSV-RNA positive rate in children with bronchiolitis (58.5%) was the highest, followed by bronchopneumonia (38.2%) and acute bronchitis (20.0%).


CONCLUSIONS
The sensitivity of PCR fluorogenic quantitative assay for ascertaining respiratory RSV infection is higher. RSV is a major pathogen of lower respiratory tract infections in infants and young children. A higher rate of RSV infection is associated with a younger age. RSV infection is the most common in children with bronchiolitis.
Pediatric Internal Medicine, Haikou Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Haikou 570102, China.
Zhi-Tuan
ZT
Tan
Lin
L
Shi
Gui-Xiang
GX
Lu
Wen
W
Xu
Yan-Ping
YP
Jia
Yu
Y
Xing
Xue-Li
XL
Wu
Song
S
Hu
Yi
Y
Ren
Li-Xun
LX
Wu
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005453:Fluorescence; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D012136:Respiratory Syncytial Viruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000821:virology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013183:Sputum / Q000821:virology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D012367:RNA, Viral