Detection of respiratory viruses by real-time polymerase chain reaction in outpatients with acute respiratory infection

Abstract

Viruses are the major contributors to the morbidity and mortality of upper and lower acute respiratory infections (ARIs) for all age groups. The aim of this study was to determine the frequencies for a large range of respiratory viruses using a sensitive molecular detection technique in specimens from outpatients of all ages with ARIs. Nasopharyngeal aspirates were obtained from 162 individuals between August 2007-August 2009. Twenty-three pathogenic respiratory agents, 18 respiratory viruses and five bacteria were investigated using multiplex real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and indirect immunofluorescence assay (IIF). Through IIF, 33 (20.4%) specimens with respiratory virus were recognised, with influenza virus representing over half of the positive samples. Through a multiplex real-time RT-PCR assay, 88 (54.3%) positive samples were detected; the most prevalent respiratory viral pathogens were influenza, human rhinovirus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Six cases of viral co-detection were observed, mainly involving RSV. The use of multiplex real-time RT-PCR increased the viral detection by 33.9% and revealed a larger number of respiratory viruses implicated in ARI cases, including the most recently described respiratory viruses [human bocavirus, human metapneumovirus, influenza A (H1N1) pdm09 virus, human coronavirus (HCoV) NL63 and HCoV HKU1].

Viral etiology in adult influenza-like illness/acute respiratory infection and predictivity of C-reactive protein

“…This was in contradiction with some older studies, which reported around 2%-10% atypical bacteria in ILI/ARI patients [16][17][18]. We also expected to detect more cases with especially atypical bacteria in our study but realized that our results were in agreement with a recent study of outpatients presenting with ILI/ARI where the investigators similarly could not detect any bacterial etiology [19]. We suggest that our results represent the true etiology of ILI/ARI in our region, as otherwise we could detect more than one case, given our sampling distribution over five months.…”

“…We suggest that this difference was due to the age characteristics of the study populations, which included infants and children ≥ 6 months of age in Zimmerman et al's study. Similarly, the predominant viruses in the study from Brazil mentioned above [19], influenza and rhinovirus, were not as prevalent as in our study. This difference may be due to the non-temperate climate in our region, as higher activity of influenza virus can be encountered in regions with a humid climate [21].…”

Molecular Diagnosis of Pneumonia Using Multiplex Real-Time PCR Assay RespiFinder® SMART 22 FAST in a Group of Moroccan Infants

“…Pneumonia is the major clinical presentation of lower acute respiratory tract infection, which is considered as the major cause of hospitalization among children worldwide. e mortality and morbidity rate is higher especially during the first years of life [14][15][16].…”

Molecular detection of respiratory pathogens among children aged younger than 5 years hospitalized with febrile acute respiratory infections: A prospective hospital‐based observational study in Niamey, Niger

“…The fluorescence was assessed at the amplification step. The positive and negative virus plasmid controls provided in the kit were included in all runs to monitor assay performance …”