title: Reverse-transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification for rapid detection of respiratory syncytial virus directly from nasopharyngeal swabs.
abstract: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common cause of lower respiratory tract infection in young infants and a major cause of nosocomial infection in pediatric care. Currently available RSV point-of-care tests are of limited sensitivity and relatively expensive. We developed and evaluated a novel RSV rapid test for use at point-of-care, based on reverse-transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) for direct testing of nasopharyngeal swab specimens. RT-LAMP can detect RSV within 30min, without the need for RNA extraction. The sensitivity of our RT-LAMP assay was 70-80% in comparison to RT-PCR. The RT-LAMP test sensitivity is at least equivalent to currently available rapid antigen detection tests (RADT), and the cost of RT-LAMP test reagents is only approximately 10% of that of commercially available RADT tests. RT-LAMP appears to be an attractive alternative to RADT, particularly in settings with limited financial resources. Future improvements could include lyophilization of test reagents and automated read-out of RT-LAMP results.
authors.affiliation: Center for Childhood and Adolescent Medicine (General Pediatrics), University Hospital Heidelberg, Germany; German Center for Infectious Diseases (DZIF), Heidelberg, Germany; Center for Infectious Diseases, Virology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hoos
authors.affiliation: Center for Childhood and Adolescent Medicine (General Pediatrics), University Hospital Heidelberg, Germany; German Center for Infectious Diseases (DZIF), Heidelberg, Germany; Center for Infectious Diseases, Virology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Rebecca Marie
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.affiliation: Center for Childhood and Adolescent Medicine (General Pediatrics), University Hospital Heidelberg, Germany; German Center for Infectious Diseases (DZIF), Heidelberg, Germany; Center for Infectious Diseases, Virology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tabatabai
authors.affiliation: Center for Childhood and Adolescent Medicine (General Pediatrics), University Hospital Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grulich-Henn
authors.affiliation: Center for Infectious Diseases, Virology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Germany. Electronic address: Paul_Schnitzler@med.uni-heidelberg.de.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schnitzler
authors.affiliation: Center for Childhood and Adolescent Medicine (General Pediatrics), University Hospital Heidelberg, Germany. Electronic address: Johannes.Pfeil@med.uni-heidelberg.de.
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pfeil
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D017931:DNA Primers; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000821:virology*; D021141:Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques / Q000191:economics; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D018113:Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D048348:Reverse Transcription; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D012367:RNA, Viral