Prospective comparison of the detection rates of human enterovirus and parechovirus RT-qPCR and viral culture in different pediatric specimens

S. C. M. de Crom, C. C. Obihara, R. A. de Moor, E. J. M. Veldkamp, A. M. van Furth, J. W. A. Rossen

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Abstract

Reverse-transcriptase quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) has become the gold standard for the diagnosis of human enterovirus (EV) and parechovirus (HPeV) infections. The detection rate of RT-qPCR in different pediatric body specimens has not been compared prospectively in a multicentre study. This study compared the diagnostic detection rates of EV and HPeV RT-qPCR and viral culture in different specimens (feces, nasopharynx, blood, urine and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)) of pediatric patients. This prospective, multicenter study performed an EV and HPeV RT-qPCR on nasopharynx, blood, urine, feces and CSF specimens and a viral culture on nasopharynx, feces and CSF specimens in symptomatic children <16 years. Of 285 included children EV was detected in 140 (49%) and HPeV in 44 (15%) children. Both EV and HPeV RT-qPCR had a higher sensitivity and negative predictive value than EV and HPeV viral culture, respectively. EV and HPeV RT-qPCR in feces specimen had the highest sensitivity (99.2% and 95.1%) of all specimens. Pooling results of specimens increased the detection rate for both viruses. Of all specimens, RT-qPCR in feces had the highest detection rate for both EV and HPeV in symptomatic pediatric patients. An EV was detected in all EV positive patients if a RT-qPCR was performed on both feces and CSF specimens or in both feces and urine specimens. HPeV was detected in all HPeV positive patients if a RT-qPCR was performed on both feces and CSF specimens, feces and nasopharynx specimens or CSF and nasopharynx specimens
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)449-454
JournalJournal of clinical virology
Volume58
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2013

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