Comparison of nasopharyngeal aspirate and nasopharyngeal swab specimens for respiratory syncytial virus diagnosis by cell culture, indirect immunofluorescence assay, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. 1987

G Ahluwalia, and J Embree, and P McNicol, and B Law, and G W Hammond

Paired nasopharyngeal aspirate (NPA) and nasopharyngeal swab (NPS) specimens obtained from each of 32 hospitalized infants with X-ray-confirmed pneumonia (91%) or bronchiolitis were tested for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection by virus culture, the indirect immunofluorescent-antibody (IFA) technique, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA; Ortho Diagnostic Systems, Inc.), and spot hybridization with a human genomic probe to quantitate cellular DNA. RSV was isolated in cell cultures from 72% (23 of 32) of patients by using NPA specimens compared with 47% (15 of 32) by using NPS specimens. With tissue culture positivity as the reference test, the sensitivities of the ELISA on NPA and NPS specimens were found to be 69% (16 of 23) and 61% (14 of 23), respectively, with a specificity and a positive predictive value from both sites of 100%. The sensitivities of the IFA technique compared with the cell culture on NPA and NPS specimens were 61% (14 of 23) and 52% (12 of 23) with specificities of 89 and 78% and positive predictive values of 96 and 92%, respectively. Despite the recovery of significantly more cells (as shown by detection of more cellular DNA by using NPA specimens), virus was detected by the IFA technique or ELISA at similar frequencies in paired specimens. However, virus was recovered more often from NPA than NPS specimens by cell culture, and ELISA optical density readings and the number of RSV-positive fluorescing cells were greater for NPA specimens. NPA specimen collection was less traumatic for the patient, was an easier procedure for the physician to perform, and provided a superior laboratory specimen for RSV diagnosis than the NPS technique.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007223 Infant A child between 1 and 23 months of age. Infants
D009305 Nasopharynx The top portion of the pharynx situated posterior to the nose and superior to the SOFT PALATE. The nasopharynx is the posterior extension of the nasal cavities and has a respiratory function. Rhinopharynx,Choanae,Nasopharynges,Nasopharynxes,Rhinopharynges,Rhinopharynxes
D009693 Nucleic Acid Hybridization Widely used technique which exploits the ability of complementary sequences in single-stranded DNAs or RNAs to pair with each other to form a double helix. Hybridization can take place between two complimentary DNA sequences, between a single-stranded DNA and a complementary RNA, or between two RNA sequences. The technique is used to detect and isolate specific sequences, measure homology, or define other characteristics of one or both strands. (Kendrew, Encyclopedia of Molecular Biology, 1994, p503) Genomic Hybridization,Acid Hybridization, Nucleic,Acid Hybridizations, Nucleic,Genomic Hybridizations,Hybridization, Genomic,Hybridization, Nucleic Acid,Hybridizations, Genomic,Hybridizations, Nucleic Acid,Nucleic Acid Hybridizations
D010253 Respirovirus Infections Infections with viruses of the genus RESPIROVIRUS, family PARAMYXOVIRIDAE. Host cell infection occurs by adsorption, via HEMAGGLUTININ, to the cell surface. Infections, Respirovirus
D011024 Pneumonia, Viral Inflammation of the lung parenchyma that is caused by a viral infection. Pneumonias, Viral,Viral Pneumonia,Viral Pneumonias
D011237 Predictive Value of Tests In screening and diagnostic tests, the probability that a person with a positive test is a true positive (i.e., has the disease), is referred to as the predictive value of a positive test; whereas, the predictive value of a negative test is the probability that the person with a negative test does not have the disease. Predictive value is related to the sensitivity and specificity of the test. Negative Predictive Value,Positive Predictive Value,Predictive Value Of Test,Predictive Values Of Tests,Negative Predictive Values,Positive Predictive Values,Predictive Value, Negative,Predictive Value, Positive
D012136 Respiratory Syncytial Viruses A group of viruses in the PNEUMOVIRUS genus causing respiratory infections in various mammals. Humans and cattle are most affected but infections in goats and sheep have also been reported. Chimpanzee Coryza Agent,Orthopneumovirus,RSV Respiratory Syncytial Virus,Chimpanzee Coryza Agents,Coryza Agent, Chimpanzee,Orthopneumoviruses,Respiratory Syncytial Virus,Syncytial Virus, Respiratory,Virus, Respiratory Syncytial
D001990 Bronchiolitis, Viral An acute inflammatory disease of the lower RESPIRATORY TRACT, caused by paramyxoviruses, occurring primarily in infants and young children; the viruses most commonly implicated are PARAINFLUENZA VIRUS TYPE 3; RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS, HUMAN; and METAPNEUMOVIRUS. Bronchiolitides, Viral,Viral Bronchiolitides,Viral Bronchiolitis
D002460 Cell Line Established cell cultures that have the potential to propagate indefinitely. Cell Lines,Line, Cell,Lines, Cell
D002478 Cells, Cultured Cells propagated in vitro in special media conducive to their growth. Cultured cells are used to study developmental, morphologic, metabolic, physiologic, and genetic processes, among others. Cultured Cells,Cell, Cultured,Cultured Cell

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