title: Utilization of the respiratory virus multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test for adult patients at a Korean tertiary care center.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Respiratory viruses (RVs) are considered to be important respiratory pathogens in adult patients, and the multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test is used frequently in adult patients with respiratory infections. However, clinical data regarding utilization of the multiplex RT-PCR test for RVs are lacking.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated the utilization of the multiplex RT-PCR test for RVs at Chung-Ang University Hospital in Seoul, Korea, between January 2012 and April 2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the study period, the multiplex RT-PCR test was performed for 291 adult patients. The test frequency was 4.9% of rapid influenza antigen detection tests and 0.8% of respiratory bacterial culture studies. A turnaround time of < 48 hours was observed in 25.9% of positive tests. Most of the tests were performed for admitted patients (97.9%) with a community-acquired infection (84.2%) during the flu season (82.5%). RVs were detected in 81 of 291 cases (27.8%). The RV positivity rates for community- and hospital-acquired infections did not differ (28.6% vs. 23.9%, p = 0.52). Of 166 patients with pneumonia, 44 (26.5%) had a viral infection. Among the patients with RV-associated pneumonia, an RV other than influenza was detected in 20 patients (45.4%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The multiplex RT-PCR test for RVs was infrequently performed at a tertiary care center, and the test results were often reported late. The test was most often performed for admitted adult patients with community-acquired infections during the flu season. The utilization of multiplex RT-PCR testing for RVs in current clinical practice should be improved.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Mi Young
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seong-Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin-Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hye Ryoun
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060885:Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011024:Pneumonia, Viral / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D056910:Republic of Korea; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral
keywords: Multiplex polymerase chain reaction; Respiratory tract infections; Viruses