J Infect. 2012 Apr 17. [Epub ahead of print]
Rapid Diagnosis Of Influenza: An Evaluation Of Two Commercially Available Rt-Pcr Assays.
Li M, Brenwald N, Bonigal S, Chana K, Osman H, Oppenheim B.
Source
Department of Medical Microbiology, City Hospital, Birmingham, United Kingdom. , HPA West Midlands Public Health Laboratory, Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, United Kingdom.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of influenza virus detection by two commercial reverse transcriptase PCR methods compared with a reference real time PCR.
METHODS:
122 clinical specimens were tested on Xpert? Flu and RealStar? Influenza Screen & Type. A reference real-time RT-PCR, at a specialist laboratory was chosen as the gold standard for comparison.
RESULTS:
RealStar? Influenza Screen & Type had higher sensitivity for influenza A and influenza B respectively (92.3% and 88.2%) when compared to Xpert? Flu (78.8% and 76.5%). Both tests had excellent specificity.
CONCLUSIONS:
The simplicity and speed of the Xpert? Flu system could allow it to be used in the near-patient setting; however in circumstances where excluding a diagnosis of influenza may be critical, negative specimens may need to be repeated using a more sensitive assay.
Copyright ? 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
PMID:
22522291
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Rapid Diagnosis Of Influenza: An Evaluation Of Two Commercially Available Rt-Pcr Assays.
Li M, Brenwald N, Bonigal S, Chana K, Osman H, Oppenheim B.
Source
Department of Medical Microbiology, City Hospital, Birmingham, United Kingdom. , HPA West Midlands Public Health Laboratory, Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, United Kingdom.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of influenza virus detection by two commercial reverse transcriptase PCR methods compared with a reference real time PCR.
METHODS:
122 clinical specimens were tested on Xpert? Flu and RealStar? Influenza Screen & Type. A reference real-time RT-PCR, at a specialist laboratory was chosen as the gold standard for comparison.
RESULTS:
RealStar? Influenza Screen & Type had higher sensitivity for influenza A and influenza B respectively (92.3% and 88.2%) when compared to Xpert? Flu (78.8% and 76.5%). Both tests had excellent specificity.
CONCLUSIONS:
The simplicity and speed of the Xpert? Flu system could allow it to be used in the near-patient setting; however in circumstances where excluding a diagnosis of influenza may be critical, negative specimens may need to be repeated using a more sensitive assay.
Copyright ? 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
PMID:
22522291
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
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