title: Screening of respiratory pathogens by Respiratory Multi Well System (MWS) r-gene™ assay in hospitalized patients.
abstract: Novel respiratory viruses have been identified as possible agents of upper and lower respiratory tract infections. Multiplex real-time PCRs have been developed to identify clinically relevant respiratory pathogens. In this study, 178 respiratory samples already screened for influenza virus types A and B by Flu A/B ASR real-time PCR kit were retrospectively analyzed with the Respiratory Multi Well System (MWS) r-gene™ real-time PCR kit which detects a wide spectrum of respiratory pathogens. The goal was to demonstrate the importance of a wide spectrum screening compared to a single diagnostic request. The Flu A/B ASR kit detected influenza B virus in 1.7% of the samples (3/178) and no influenza A virus. The MWS r-gene™ kit detected influenza virus in 6.7% (12/178) of samples (0.6% influenza A, and 6.2% influenza B), while the overall detection rate for respiratory pathogens was 54% (96/178). Co-infections were detected in 8/178 (4.5%) samples. Adenovirus was the infectious agent detected most frequently, followed by respiratory syncytial virus. The risk of being infected by respiratory syncytial virus is almost threefold higher in patients older than 65 years compared to the younger age group (OR:2.7, 95% CI: 1.2-6.2). Wide spectrum screening of respiratory pathogens by real-time PCR is an effective means of detecting clinically relevant viral pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Polyclinic Tor Vergata Foundation, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Pierpaolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Paba
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Farchi
authors.forename: Erika
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mortati
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ciccozzi
authors.forename: Micol
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piperno
authors.forename: Carlo Federico
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Perno
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ciotti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D060085:Coinfection / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014780:Viruses / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D055815:Young Adult