VALIDATION OF RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS ENZYME-IMMUNOASSAY AND SHELL VIAL ASSAY RESULTS

The Pathfinder respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) enzyme immunoassay (E IA) (Kallestad), the shelf vial (SV) technique, and conventional cell culture (CC) were compared for detection of RSV in nasopharyngeal aspi rates. We found sensitivities, specificities, and positive and negativ e predictive values of 58.4, 100, 100, and 68.2%; 80.7, 97.2, 97.0, an d 81.9% and 77.6, 97.2, 96.9, and 79.5% for the CC, EIA, and SV method s, respectively. The SV and EIA techniques were both more sensitive th an CC (P < 0.001). Finally, 29 respiratory viruses other than RSV were identified by CC.