Comparison of the Seeplex reverse transcription PCR assay with the R-mix viral culture and immunofluorescence techniques for detection of eight respiratory viruses

• Published in: Annals of clinical and laboratory science Vol. 38; no. 1; pp. 41 - 46
• Main Authors: Roh, Kyoung Ho, Kim, Jeeyong, Nam, Myung-Hyun, Yoon, Sooyung, Lee, Chang Kyu, Lee, Kapno, Yoo, Young, Kim, Min Ja, Cho, Yunjung
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 2008
• Subjects: Adenovirus; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Child; Child, Preschool; DNA, Viral - analysis; DNA, Viral - genetics; Female; Fluorescent Antibody Technique - methods; Humans; Infant; Influenza virus; Male; Middle Aged; Parainfluenza virus; Pneumovirus - genetics; Pneumovirus - growth & development; Pneumovirus - immunology; Pneumovirus - isolation & purification; Respiratory syncytial virus; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods
• ISSN: 0091-7370

This study evaluated the clinical usefulness of a newly introduced multiplex reverse transcription PCR assay (Seeplex RV; Seegene, Inc., Seoul, Korea) in patients with respiratory symptoms. Fifty clinical respiratory specimens (45 from children, 5 from adults) were tested for 8 viruses (influenza virus type A and B, parainfluenza virus type 1, 2, 3, respiratory syncytial virus type A and B, and adenovirus) by Seeplex RV (S-RV) and R-mix viral culture with immunofluorescence (VC-IF). Forty (80%) of the 50 samples showed concordant results between S-RV and VC-IF; 24 of these showed the same positive and 16 showed the same negative results. Among the 10 discrepant samples, 9 were S-RV-positive and VC-IF-negative. Six were obtained in patients with lower respiratory tract infection. Only 1 sample was VC-IF-positive and S-RV-negative. This patient had pneumonia. In 3 cases, more than 1 virus was identified by S-RV. The total running time of S-RV was 6 hr, which shortens the detection time for the viral presence by 2 workdays compared to VC-IF. In conclusion, S-RV is reliable, rapid, relatively easy to perform, and able to detect more than 1 virus simultaneously. Therefore, implementation of the S-RV assay in clinical laboratories will aid rapid diagnosis and treatment of major viral infections of the respiratory tract.