FIG. 3.

Agarose gel (2%) electrophoresis showing the performance of the five outer and inner primer groups as well as nested PCR of the multiplex assays. A single template was added to each corresponding group of primers to test the sensitivity of the assay in detecting that pathogen. For the nested PCR limit detection test, the PCR products from the first-round PCR are used as a template for the second-round PCR (copy number of nucleic acids − copy number of RNA or DNA template in the original samples). RSV, hRSV; RV, hRV; EV, hEV; MPV, hMPV; Chl, C. pneumoniae; Leg, L. pneumophila; Myc, M. pneumoniae.