RAPID DETECTION OF DIFFERENT RNA RESPIRATORY VIRUS SPECIES BY MULTIPLEX RT-PCR - APPLICATION TO CLINICAL SPECIMENS

Background: The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) applied in diagnostic and epidemiologic investigations is very useful for sensitivity, speci ficity and time saving. Objectives: We have developed a method for the detection of genomic RNA of two different species of virus, the influ enza A virus (IA) and the respiratory syncytial virus (RS), which are responsible for clinical similarities. We applied this multiplex RT-PC R protocol on clinical specimens. Study design: We describe a method w hich allows rapid diagnosis by performing a single retro-transcriptase (RT) reaction associated with the PCR (multiplex RT-PCR) on different genomes in a single sample. We have evaluated the sensitivity and the specificity of the multiplex test on positive controls, then, on RNA extracted from clinical specimens harvested from 15 children with resp iratory symptoms during the spring-winter season 1997. Results and con clusions: The multiplex RT-PCR protocol, applied to respiratory specim ens, allows the investigation of RNA IA virus and RS virus in a single sample at the same time. The detection of the etiologic viral agent i s rapid and it is possible to evaluate incidental simultaneous infecti ons. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.