Detection of Common Respiratory Viruses in Patients with Acute Respiratory Infections Using Multiplex Real-Time RT-PCR

Acute respiratory infection (ARI) is caused by human metapneumovirus (HMPV), respiratory syncytial virus type A and B (RSV-A, RSV-B), human parainfluenza viruses 1, 2, and 3 (HPIV-1, HPIV-2, and HPIV-3), influenza viruses A and B (IfV-A, IfV-B), and human coronaviruses (OC43/HKU1, NL63, 229E) worldwide.

This study was conducted to assess the causative agents of viral ARI among hospitalized adults by real-time PCR.

Clinical nasopharyngeal swabs of 112 patients including 55 (49.1%) males and 57 (50.89%) females with ARI were analyzed using multiplex real-time RT-PCR.

Out of 112 specimens, 61 (54.46%) were positive including 10 (8.9%) for influenza H3N2, one (0.89%) for influenza B, 28 (25%) for RSV-A, 18 (16.07%) for HMPV-A, two (1.78%) for HPIV-1, and three (2.67%) for HPIV-3. Two (1.78%) specimens were positive for two agents, RSV-A/HMPV-A and RSV-A/HPIV-3. The distribution of viral infections was 30 among males (26.78%) and 31 (27.67%) among females (P = 0.862). High frequency of RSV-A infection (25%) and the low frequency of influenza B virus infection (0.89%) were detected among patients. The remaining 51 (45.53%) samples were negative for RSV-B, HMPV-B, IfV-A, HPIV2-4A-4B, and HCoVs (OC43/HKU1, NL63, 229E).

The role of other viruses such as human adenoviruses rhinovirus/enterovirus (RV/EV), human bocavirus (HBoV), and human parechovirus (HpeV) was not investigated. Multiplex PCR can be used as a rapid test for the diagnosis of viruses causing acute respiratory infection, which results in decreased length of hospitalization.