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International Research Journal of Microbiology (IRJM) (ISSN: 2141-5463) Vol. 3(7) pp. 246-252, July 2012 Available online http://www.interesjournals.org/IRJM Copyright © 2012 International Research Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Diagnostic significance of real time PCR for sensitive detection of respiratory syncytial virus and human metapneumovirus in a tertiary care hospital in India Preeti Bharaj1, Wayne M Sullender2, Harendra S Chahar3, Sushil K Kabra4, Vikas Tyagi5, John Cherian6, Kalaivani Mani7, Shobha Broor*8 1/3/5/6/8
Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi- 110029, India Departments of Pediatrics and Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL -35233, USA 4 Department of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi- 110029, India 7 Department of Biostatistics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi- 110029, India
2
Abstract
A total of 225 NPAs (103 for RSV and 122 for hMPV) were analyzed by real time RT-PCR, conventional PCR and virus culture. Real time RT-PCR detected RSV in 75 and hMPV in 29 samples as compared to 35 and 16 detected by conventional RT-PCR. By culture, only 27 and 16 NPAs revealed RSV and hMPV respectively. Hence real time RT-PCR detected 53% and 64% additional RSV infection as compared to conventional RT-PCR and culture and 45% additional hMPV infection when compared to both. Positive correlation between viral loads and disease severity for RSV but not for hMPV was observed. Low birth weight with both RSV and hMPV whereas bronchiolitis with RSV and prematurity with hMPV infection showed significant association. Eight cases of co-infection were detected by real time RT-PCR; conventional RT-PCR detected one and culture none. Real time RT-PCR should be the method of choice for rapid and sensitive detection of RSV and hMPV alongwith culture. Keywords: Real time RT-PCR, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human metapneumovirus (hMPV), quantitation, co-infection. INTRODUCTION Acute viral respiratory tract infection is the leading cause of pediatric hospitalizations worldwide (Murray and Lopez 1997, WHO 1999, Rao 2003). Around 156 million new cases of clinical pneumonia in children 38 °C, difficulty in breathing, runny nose, cough) and risk factors (prematurity, history of ARI in family, presence of smokers in the household and low birth weight
