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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, September 2003, p. 4160-4165, Vol. 41, No. 9
0095-1137/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JCM.41.9.4160-4165.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Comparison of Quantitative Reverse Transcription-PCR to Viral Culture for Assessment of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Shedding

Ann R. Falsey,1,2* Maria A. Formica,1,2 John J. Treanor,2 and Edward E. Walsh1,2

Department of Medicine,1 Infectious Disease Unit, Rochester General Hospital,3 Department of Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York 146212

Received 27 January 2003/ Returned for modification 1 May 2003/ Accepted 22 June 2003

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has recently been recognized as a serious pathogen in elderly and immunocompromised adults. Diagnosis of acute infection in adults is often difficult due to the insensitivity of viral culture, and reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) is a more sensitive alternative. The relationship of quantitative RT-PCR to viable virus has never been studied for RSV. Therefore, we compared a quantitative real-time RT-PCR with viral culture to assess viral load in adult volunteers challenged with the RSV A2 strain. Twelve of 13 volunteers were infected, and there was a high correlation (r = 0.84) between quantitative RT-PCR and viral titer by cell culture. However, RT-PCR was more sensitive, with 73 of 169 (43%) samples positive compared to 58 (34%) samples positive by culture. The correlation between the two tests was highest early in the course of viral shedding (r = 0.91, days 0 to 6), whereas during days 7 to 13, there was more variability (r = 0.70). All subjects were culture negative by day 11, whereas one subject remained RT-PCR positive on day 12. All subjects were RT-PCR negative at day 28 postinfection. Quantitative RT-PCR has an excellent correlation with viral titers, as measured by culture, and should be a useful tool for future studies addressing viral load and disease pathogenesis.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Infectious Diseases Unit, Rochester General Hospital, 1425 Portland Ave., Rochester, NY 14621. Phone: (585) 922-4339. Fax: (585) 922-5168. E-mail: ann.falsey{at}viahealth.org.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, September 2003, p. 4160-4165, Vol. 41, No. 9
0095-1137/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JCM.41.9.4160-4165.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



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