Rapid and highly sensitive qualitative real-time assay for detection of respiratory syncytial virus A and B using NASBA and molecular beacon technology.

The performance of a sensitive and specific qualitative respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) assay based on NASBA technology and real-time molecular beacon detection is presented. Very low detection limits for both RSV A and RSV B were determined: 95% detection hit-rate of 95 and 47 copies/input in isolation for RSV A and RSV B, respectively. RSV was detected in a wide variety of clinical samples including respiratory swabs, nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPA), bronchoalveolar lavages (BAL), endotracheal secretions, and sputum samples. In total 779 clinical samples were tested and a valid result was obtained for 765 (RSV NASBA assay), 765 (cell culture), and 529 (rapid direct immunofluorescence testing (IF)) samples. Of these samples, 229 (RSV NASBA assay), 61 (cell culture), and 122 (IF) samples were positive for RSV. In addition, 106 samples were reported as RSV negative using the NOW RSV assay (Binax). Subsequent testing using the RSV NASBA assay demonstrated that 32 (30%) of these samples were RSV positive. The RSV NASBA assay includes a homologous internal control, which offers a high degree of standardization and quality control. When the RSV NASBA assay was performed on the NucliSens EasyQ platform (bioMérieux), test results of 48 sample extracts were obtained in less than 2h.