TABLE 4.
Performance of multiplex nested PCR assays compared to conventional methods
| Organism | No. (%) of positive specimens (n = 303)
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Multiplex nested PCR | Virus isolation | IFA | |
| Any infection | 147 (48.5) | 61 (20.1) | 41 (13.5) |
| Single infection | 140 (46.2) | 61 (20.1) | 41 (13.5) |
| Influenza A virus | 19 (6.3) | 15 (5.0) | 11 (3.6) |
| Influenza A virus H1 | 17 (5.6) | —a | —a |
| Influenza A virus H3 | 2 (0.7) | —a | —a |
| Influenza A virus H5 | 0 | —a | —a |
| Influenza B virus | 10 (3.3) | 9 (3.0) | 7 (2.3) |
| PIV-1 | 19 (6.3) | 14 (4.6) | 10 (3.3) |
| PIV-2 | 6 (2.0) | 1 (0.3) | 1 (0.3) |
| PIV-3 | 3 (1.0) | 2 (0.7) | 1 (0.3) |
| PIV-4 | 2 (0.7) | —a | —a |
| Respiratory syncytial virus | 8 (2.7) | 5 (1.7) | 6 (1.9) |
| Respiratory syncytial virus group A | 5 (1.7) | —a | —a |
| Respiratory syncytial virus group B | 3 (1.0) | —a | —a |
| Rhinovirus | 16 (5.3) | —a | —a |
| Enteroviruses | 3 (1.0) | 0 | 0 |
| HCoV-OC43 | 16 (5.3) | —a | —a |
| HCoV-229E | 3 (1.0) | —a | —a |
| SARS-CoV | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| hMPV | 15 (5.0) | —a | —a |
| M. pneumoniae | 5 (1.7) | —a | —a |
| L. pneumophila | 0 | —a | —a |
| C. pneumoniae | 0 | —a | —a |
| ADVs | 15 (5.0) | 15 (5.0) | 5 (1.7) |
| Coinfection | 7 (2.3) | 0 | 0 |
| Influenza A virus and M. pneumoniae | 1 (0.3) | —a | —a |
| Influenza A virus H1 and C. pneumoniae | 1 (0.3) | —a | —a |
| Influenza A virus H3 and HCoV-229E | 1 (0.3) | —a | —a |
| Influenza A virus H3 and PIV-2 | 1 (0.3) | —b | —b |
| hMPV and M. pneumoniae | 2 (0.7) | —a | —a |
| hMPV and PIV-4 | 1 (0.3) | —a | —a |
a
Organisms not isolated/differentiated by virus isolation.
b
PIV-2 was isolated.