Journal of Clinical Microbiology, April 2007, p. 1081-1086, Vol. 45, No. 4
0095-1137/07/$08.00+0 doi:10.1128/JCM.01718-06
Copyright © 2007, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia,1 Children's Medical Center and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas,2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia,3 The Children's Hospital, Denver, Colorado,4 Cepheid, Sunnyvale, California5
Received 18 August 2006/ Returned for modification 6 October 2006/ Accepted 12 January 2007
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CSF viral cultures lack sensitivity, rarely provide results in a clinically relevant time frame, and require high-level technical expertise to perform. Nucleic acid amplification tests (NATs) for enterovirus RNA in CSF have emerged as the new gold standard for diagnosis of enteroviral meningitis (10-13). These tests have better sensitivity than culture, the results can be available within hours of specimen collection, and the costs are similar to those for viral cultures (9).
Significant health care resources are utilized in diagnosing and caring for infants and young children with enteroviral infections. Several investigators have demonstrated that early diagnoses provided by NATs can improve the management and decrease the costs of caring for children with enteroviral meningitis by decreasing length of hospital stay, hospital charges, and antibiotic use (2, 5, 7, 8). Despite the enhanced performance characteristics and potential for improving the paradigms for diagnosis and patient management, there are no FDA-approved tests for enterovirus RNA.
The GeneXpert Dx system performs hands-off sample processing and real-time, multiplex PCR for detection of DNA or RNA. In this platform, sample preparation, amplification, and real-time detection are all fully automated and completely integrated. The system consists of an instrument, a personal computer, and disposable fluidic cartridges that have been designed to complete sample preparation and reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) of enteroviruses in about 2.5 h (Fig. 1). Each instrument contains four randomly accessible modules that are each capable of performing separate sample preparation and RT-PCR tests. Each module contains a syringe drive for dispensing fluids, an ultrasonic horn for lysing cells or spores if necessary, and an ICORE thermocycler for performing reverse transcription, real-time PCR, and amplicon detection.
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FIG. 1. The GeneXpert Dx diagnostic system (top) and Xpert enterovirus self-contained cartridge (bottom).
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In this study, the analytical sensitivity and specificity of the GeneXpert enterovirus assay (GXEA) were determined with a panel of 63 different enterovirus serotypes and 24 other microorganisms, respectively. The potential for blood and blood components to interfere with the assay was investigated. The performance parameters of the GXEA were also determined at three sites with CSF samples that were obtained from patients with suspected meningitis. All CSF samples were also tested for enterovirus RNA with locally developed RT-PCR assays at the trial sites and with a seminested RT-PCR (RT-snPCR) method and an analyte-specific reagent (Cepheid) at a reference laboratory.
(The results of this study were presented in part at the 106th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, Orlando, FL, 21 to 25 May 2006 [3a, 13a].)
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TABLE 1. Limits of detection for GXEA, expressed as lowest dilution and lowest nominal concentration detected for each member of the analytical sensitivity panel
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Interfering substances. Samples positive for coxsackievirus A9 at the limit of detection were spiked with increasing concentrations of substances commonly found in CSF specimens. These substances included whole blood (5,000 to 2.5 x 106 red blood cells/mm3), hemoglobin (0 to 3.6 g/dl), white blood cells (0 to 7,140 cells/mm3), and protein (bovine serum albumin and gamma globulin) (0 to 1,071 mg/dl).
GXEA. Binding, wash, elution, and lysis buffers were added to the appropriate ports on the microfluidic cartridge. After addition of the buffers, 140 µl of CSF was added to sample chamber. The cartridge was then loaded into a GeneXpert Dx module to complete sample preparation, target amplification, and product detection. The total analysis time was approximately 2.5 h. The assay targets the 5' NTR of the enterovirus genome (nucleotides 452 to 596), and the primer and probe sequences are shown in Table 2. Any samples with values exceeding the preset fluorescence threshold were considered positive, and the cycle threshold (CT) was recorded.
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TABLE 2. Nucleic acid sequences and locations of the primers and probes used in the enterovirus 5' NTR RT-PCR assays
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Locally developed RT-PCR assays. Locally developed RT-PCR assays for enterovirus RNA were run in parallel with GXEA at the three beta trial sites. These locally developed assays were the standards of care at the trial sites. Sites A and B used the QIAGEN QIAmp viral RNA minikit (QIAGEN, Valencia, CA), and site C used MagNA Pure LC (Roche Applied Science, Indianapolis, IN) for nucleic acid extraction. The target for all of the locally developed assays was the 5' NTR of the enterovirus genome. An end point RT-PCR (Light Diagnostics Pan-Enterovirus OligoDectect assay; Chemicon, Temecula, CA) was used at site A, and real-time RT-PCR was used at sites B and C. The primer and probe sequences used in the assays performed at sites B and C are shown in Table 2. The sequences targeted in the Chemicon assay are proprietary. The thermal cyclers employed were a GeneAmp 9600 (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA) at site A, a SmartCycler (Cepheid) at site B, and ABI 7000 and 7500 instruments (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA) at site C.
Reference laboratory RT-PCR assays. Frozen aliquots of CSF samples were tested at the CDC using two different NATs, an enterovirus primer and probe set analyte-specific reagent (ASR) (Cepheid), and an RT-snPCR. RNA was extracted for both with QIAGEN QIAmp viral RNA minikit.
The ASR consists of two types of lyophilized beads, the enterovirus bead and the sample preparation control bead. The enterovirus beads contain primers, a 6-carboxyfluorescein-labled probe, and an Alexa 532-labled probe for detection of the 5' NTR. The primer and probe sequences used in the ASR are shown in Table 2. In addition, each enterovirus bead contains primers and a Texas Red-labeled probe for a separate sample-processing control sequence. The sample-processing control bead contains armored sample preparation control RNA, RNase inhibitor, and poly(A) RNA. RT-PCR was performed with the SuperScript One-Step kit (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA) on a SmartCycler (Cepheid) real-time PCR instrument according to the manufacturers' instructions. If the 5' NTR sequence is present in a sample, it will be detected by either the 6-carboxyfluorescein probe or the Alexa 532 probe but not by both. The sample-processing control sequence will be detected by the Texas Red probe in all adequately processed samples.
Enterovirus virion protein 1 (VP1) sequences were amplified using an RT-snPCR as previously described (4). The 350- to 400-bp PCR amplicons were separated and visualized on agarose gels containing ethidium bromide and then were purified from the gel for sequencing. The amplicons were sequenced with the BigDye Terminator v1.1 Ready Reaction cycle sequencing kit on an ABI Prism 3100 automated sequencer (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA). Amplicon sequences were compared with the VP1 sequences of enterovirus reference strains by script-driven sequential pairwise comparison using the program Gap (Wisconsin Sequence Analysis Package, version 10.2; Accelrys, Inc., San Diego, CA), as described previously (6).
Beta trial protocol.
CSF samples of
500 µl that were submitted to trial sites for enterovirus RT-PCR were included in the study. The samples were collected from patients at the trial sites in Atlanta, GA; Dallas, TX; and Denver, CO during May, June, and July 2005. Two separate 150-µl aliquots of study samples were made and frozen at 20°C for subsequent testing. Each sample was tested at the trial site with its own locally developed RT-PCR and with the GXEA. The third aliquot was sent to the reference laboratory for testing with the SmartCycler ASR and RT-snPCR for enterovirus RNA. The GXEA, SmartCycler ASR, and RT-snPCR were performed within the same freeze-thaw cycle of the sample. Consensus reference laboratory results were used to classify cases of enteroviral meningitis. The reference laboratory tests were used to classify cases based on the requirements for superior analytical sensitivity (ASR) and amplification of an alternative target site (VP1). No other patient information or results of any other laboratory tests were recorded. The trial was conducted with the approval or exemption of the local Institutional Review Boards at the trial sites and reference laboratory.
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Three tests for enterovirus RNA were performed on 102 CSF samples. The results of the locally developed RT-PCRs and GXEAs performed at the three trial sites are shown in Table 3. The total numbers of positive samples detected by the locally developed RT-PCRs and GXEA were 31 and 34, respectively. Complete concordance between the locally developed RT-PCRs and the GXEA was observed at sites A and C. The GXEA detected three additional positive samples at site B (GXEA CTs, 30.3, 35.3, and 40.7). The three samples were retested at site B with the GXEA, and all were confirmed as positive. The GXEA sample preparation control reaction failed for one sample (0.98%). It was repeated, and fluorescent signals were obtained for both the enterovirus target (CT, 34.3) and the internal control (CT, 32.3). The overall agreement between the results of the locally developed RT-PCRs and the GXEA was 97.1%.
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TABLE 3. Results of enterovirus RNA tests performed at the beta trial sites
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The agreement between the results of reference laboratory tests and the GXEA are shown in Table 4. The GXEA results were 99% concordant with the consensus reference test results. A single sample was positive with both the ASR and RT-snPCR and negative with the GXEA. Two of the three samples detected only by the GXEA at site B were positive with both of the reference tests, and the remaining sample was positive with only the ASR.
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TABLE 4. GeneXpert enterovirus assay agreement with reference laboratory tests for 102 CSF samples
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The primers and probes used in the GXEA detected all of the serotypes of enterovirus tested, with an analytical sensitivity of as low as 0.0002 TCID50/ml for some enterovirus serotypes. Among the 64 recognized enterovirus serotypes, only coxsackievirus A1 was not tested. The wide range of sensitivities observed with the different enteroviruses is likely due to the imprecision associated with biological methods of virus quantification rather than serotype bias of the GXEA. Enterovirus RNA reference standards are not currently available.
Nonspecific amplification of nucleic acid preparations from other organisms associated with central nervous system infections was not observed. The cross-reaction with rhinovirus 16 was not unexpected given the homology between some rhinoviruses and enteroviruses in the 5' NTR region. This homology and cross-reactions with rhinoviruses in RT-PCR assays that target similar regions in the 5' NTR have been noted by others (3, 4). Potential cross-reactions with rhinovirus are not a significant concern when testing CSF samples, because rhinoviruses do not cause infections of the central nervous system. This would, however, have a significant impact on testing of nasal or oropharyngeal samples.
Moderate levels of whole blood, white blood cells, hemoglobin, or excess protein did not adversely affect the GXEA. In addition, the internal positive control failed for only one CSF sample during the beta trial. On retesting, both the enterovirus target and the internal positive control were detected. Taken together, the data demonstrate the robust nature of the GXEA.
The GXEA was performed on CSF samples from 102 patients with suspected aseptic meningitis at three trial sites and the results compared to the results of three different RT-PCR assays for enterovirus RNA performed on the same samples. Consensus reference laboratory RT-PCR results were used to classify the patients. The GXEA results were highly concordant with the reference laboratory test results, with a sensitivity of 97.1% and a specificity of 100% for diagnosis of enteroviral meningitis. Although the beta trial was conducted over a single enterovirus season, 11 distinct enterovirus types were present in the samples, confirming the broad reactivity of the GXEA.
The major limitations of this beta trial include the relatively small number of positive samples and lack of clinical information on the patients, including other CSF parameters and clinical diagnoses. Viral culture was not included as a comparator because of its poor sensitivity and sample volume constraints. A larger full-scale clinical trial of the GXEA that addressed these limitations has recently been completed and the data submitted to the U.S. FDA for evaluation.
Although NATs for enterovirus RNA are used widely for the diagnosis of enteroviral meningitis, there are currently no FDA-cleared tests. In practice, a wide variety of laboratory-developed methods and commercial kits assays are in use. In a recent College of American Pathologists (CAP) proficiency testing survey (2006 ID-03), 63% of the 83 participant laboratories used laboratory-developed methods. This lack of standardization leads to concerns about the interlaboratory reproducibility of test results. In a proficiency testing study of nucleic acid amplification methods for detection of enterovirus that involved 59 European laboratories, 34% were found to perform inadequately (16). In contrast, only 4.2% of laboratories participating in the 2006 ID-03 CAP enterovirus challenge gave an incorrect response. The European proficiency testing program was more rigorous than the CAP program and may better demonstrate the magnitude of the problem. The GXEA detected three (9%) more positive cases than the locally developed RT-PCRs used for diagnostic purposes at the trial sites. An easy-to-use, commercially available assay for enterovirus RNA with well-defined performance characteristics should contribute to the optimization and standardization of molecular diagnostics for enteroviral meningitis.
False-positive reactions due to target and amplicon cross-contamination remain a significant concern for NATs. Real-time amplification and detection methods reduce these concerns because the reaction vessel is not opened after addition of the sample. Since the GX cartridge is completely self-contained and performs the all of the PCR steps, including sample preparation, concerns about false-positive results due to cross-contamination are essentially eliminated. No false-positive GXEA tests were encountered in this trial.
The on-board positive control in the GXEA ensures that the sample is adequately prepared, critical reagents are functioning properly, and the sample is free of interfering substances. External positive and negative controls were run weekly during this trial at the three sites, with no failures. However, the optimal frequency for testing external controls with test systems such as the GXEA has not been established and is not adequately addressed in the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services final rule for laboratory requirements (1). The strategy for the use of external controls will have a large impact on the cost of performing the GXEA with individual samples or in small batches.
The anticipated costs of for the GXEA cartridge and four-module analyzer are $US 65 and $US 68,000, respectively. The price for the disposables will be higher than that of other competing nucleic acid amplification technologies, but the labor component of the GXEA will be much less because it is completely automated. The cost of the analyzer is similar to that of other real-time PCR instruments, with the added advantage that no additional instrumentation is required to automate nucleic acid extraction.
The GXEA could shift the paradigm for the diagnosis and management of enteroviral meningitis. NATs for enterovirus can significantly reduce health care costs through earlier discharge, less antibiotic use, and fewer orders for ancillary diagnostic tests if the results are available within 24 h of admission (2, 5, 7, 8). The NATs in use currently are labor-intensive, are technically complex, and require 4 to 8 h to complete the analysis. Consequently, the tests are usually batched, and many laboratories struggle to provide these important results within a 24-h window.
The complete automation and rapid-result capability of the GXEA make it uniquely suited for on-demand testing. It is simple enough to be performed as a stat test in clinical laboratory sections that are typically staffed around the clock and by individuals with no training in molecular biology or virology. The results of rapid, on-demand testing for enteroviruses could affect the decision to admit patients with suspected meningitis to the hospital. Those patients with positive tests could be managed more conservatively than those with negative tests, without the need for hospitalization. Since enteroviral meningitis is a leading cause for hospitalization of children in the summer months, this strategy could save significant health care resources.
Published ahead of print on 24 January 2007. ![]()
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