LabMedica

Download Mobile App
Recent News Expo Clinical Chem. Molecular Diagnostics Hematology Immunology Microbiology Pathology Technology Industry Focus

Novel Assay Rapidly RSV in Children

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 09 May 2017
Print article
Image: The Alere i RSV assay is designed to easily and rapidly detect respiratory syncytial virus (Photo courtesy of Alere).
Image: The Alere i RSV assay is designed to easily and rapidly detect respiratory syncytial virus (Photo courtesy of Alere).
A novel rapid assay applies a nicking-enzyme amplification reaction to easily and rapidly detect respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in children hospitalized with acute respiratory-tract infections.

Respiratory syncytial virus is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms and most people recover in a week or two, but RSV can be serious, especially for infants and older adults. RSV is the most important cause of acute respiratory-tract infection in neonates and young children.

Scientists at the University Hospital Heidelberg used the novel assay on 117 frozen nasopharyngeal swab samples obtained from children hospitalized with an acute respiratory-tract infection. The median age of the children whose samples were used in this study was 12 months (range: two weeks to 17.7 years).

The team used the Alere i RSV assay and correctly identified all 49 samples positive for RSV. The assay demonstrated 100% sensitivity (95% confidence interval, CI: 93% to 100%), and 97% specificity (95% CI: 89% to 100%). Testing of 65 negative samples confirmed that 63 samples were true negatives; one false-positive was incorrectly identified, and one sample was invalid. Positive test results were called after a median amplification time of 108 seconds (range: 102 to 234 seconds), with results obtained more quickly in samples with high viral load. The test results compared favorably with real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing.

Sarah Valerie Schnee, a medical student and lead author of the study, “The total test duration, including three minutes for heating the lysis buffer, was five minutes for positive results and 13 minutes for negative results. The availability of sensitive, rapid RSV tests is critical to optimize care management, minimize unnecessary antibiotic use, and provide targeted infection control.” The study was presented at the 27th European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases on held April 22-25, 2017, in Vienna, Austria.

Platinum Member
COVID-19 Rapid Test
OSOM COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test
Magnetic Bead Separation Modules
MAG and HEATMAG
Complement 3 (C3) Test
GPP-100 C3 Kit
New
Gold Member
TORCH Panel Rapid Test
Rapid TORCH Panel Test

Print article

Channels

Clinical Chemistry

view channel
Image: The 3D printed miniature ionizer is a key component of a mass spectrometer (Photo courtesy of MIT)

3D Printed Point-Of-Care Mass Spectrometer Outperforms State-Of-The-Art Models

Mass spectrometry is a precise technique for identifying the chemical components of a sample and has significant potential for monitoring chronic illness health states, such as measuring hormone levels... Read more

Hematology

view channel
Image: The CAPILLARYS 3 DBS devices have received U.S. FDA 510(k) clearance (Photo courtesy of Sebia)

Next Generation Instrument Screens for Hemoglobin Disorders in Newborns

Hemoglobinopathies, the most widespread inherited conditions globally, affect about 7% of the population as carriers, with 2.7% of newborns being born with these conditions. The spectrum of clinical manifestations... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: The AI predictive model identifies the most potent cancer killing immune cells for use in immunotherapies (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

AI Predicts Tumor-Killing Cells with High Accuracy

Cellular immunotherapy involves extracting immune cells from a patient's tumor, potentially enhancing their cancer-fighting capabilities through engineering, and then expanding and reintroducing them into the body.... Read more