title: Application of TaqMan low-density arrays for simultaneous detection of multiple respiratory pathogens.
abstract: The large and growing number of viral and bacterial pathogens responsible for respiratory infections poses a challenge for laboratories seeking to provide rapid and comprehensive pathogen identification. We evaluated a novel application of the TaqMan low-density array (TLDA) cards for real-time PCR detection of 21 respiratory-pathogen targets. The performance of the TLDA was compared to that of individual real-time PCR (IRTP) assays with the same primers and probes using (i) nucleic acids extracted from the 21 pathogen strains and 66 closely related viruses and bacteria and (ii) 292 clinical respiratory specimens. With spiked samples, TLDA cards were about 10-fold less sensitive than IRTP assays. By using 292 clinical specimens to generate 2,238 paired individual assays, the TLDA card exhibited 89% sensitivity (95% confidence interval [CI], 86 to 92%; range per target, 47 to 100%) and 98% specificity (95% CI, 97 to 99%; range per target, 85 to 100%) overall compared to IRTP assays as the gold standard with a threshold cycle (C(T)) cutoff of 43. The TLDA card approach offers promise for rapid and simultaneous identification of multiple respiratory pathogens for outbreak investigations and disease surveillance.
authors.affiliation: Division of Bacterial Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA. MKodani@cdc.gov
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kodani
authors.forename: Genyan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Laura M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Conklin
authors.forename: Tatiana C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Travis
authors.forename: Cynthia G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Whitney
authors.forename: Larry J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Stephanie J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Schrag
authors.forename: Thomas H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Bernard W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Beall
authors.forename: Robert F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Breiman
authors.forename: Daniel R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Feikin
authors.forename: M Kariuki
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Njenga
authors.forename: Leonard W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Mayer
authors.forename: M Steven
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Oberste
authors.forename: Maria Lucia C
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Tondella
authors.forename: Jonas M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Winchell
authors.forename: Stephen L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Lindstrom
authors.forename: Dean D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Erdman
authors.forename: Barry S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Fields
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D044085:Microfluidics / Q000379:methods*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014780:Viruses / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification