Comparison of the MChip to viral culture, reverse transcription-PCR, and the QuickVue influenza A+B test for rapid diagnosis of influenza

J Clin Microbiol. 2007 Apr;45(4):1234-7. doi: 10.1128/JCM.02202-06. Epub 2007 Feb 14.

Abstract

The performance of a diagnostic microarray (the MChip assay) for influenza was compared in a blind study to that of viral culture, reverse transcription (RT)-PCR, and the QuickVue Influenza A+B test. The patient sample data set was composed of 102 respiratory secretion specimens collected between 29 December 2005 and 2 February 2006 at Scott & White Hospital and Clinic in Temple, Texas. Samples were collected from a wide range of age groups by using direct collection, nasal/nasopharyngeal swabs, or nasopharyngeal aspiration. Viral culture and the QuickVue assay were performed at the Texas site at the time of collection. Aliquots for each sample, identified only by study numbers, were provided to the University of Colorado and Vanderbilt University teams for blinded analysis. When referenced to viral culture, the MChip exhibited a clinical sensitivity of 98% and a clinical specificity of 98%. When referenced to RT-PCR, the MChip assay exhibited a clinical sensitivity of 92% and a clinical specificity of 98%. While the MChip assay currently requires 7 to 8 h to complete the analysis, a significant advantage of the test for influenza virus-positive samples is simultaneous detection and full subtype identification for the two subtypes currently circulating in humans (A/H3N2 and A/H1N1) and avian (A/H5N1) viruses.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Evaluation Study
  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / classification
  • Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / isolation & purification
  • Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype / classification
  • Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype / isolation & purification*
  • Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype / classification
  • Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype / isolation & purification
  • Influenza A virus / classification
  • Influenza A virus / isolation & purification*
  • Influenza, Human / diagnosis*
  • Influenza, Human / virology
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Respiratory System / virology
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Virus Cultivation*