Abstract

NEWMAN, Howard et al. Rapid testing for respiratory syncytial virus in a resource-limited paediatric intensive care setting. Afr. J. Lab. Med. [online]. 2020, vol.9, n.1, pp.1-5. ISSN 2225-2010.  http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/ajlm.v9i1.1084.

We analysed the performance characteristics of the respiratory syncytial virus lateral flow rapid antigen assay in use when compared to a multiplex polymerase chain reaction for detection of respiratory viruses. The study was conducted at a tertiary paediatric hospital in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, from 01 January 2017 to 31 December 2018. We found the clinical sensitivity (36.8%) of the rapid test to be too low for routine diagnostic use. Knowledge of assay performance characteristics of rapid tests are important for appropriate interpretation of rapid test results.

Keywords : respiratory syncytial virus; rapid antigen tests; respiratory viruses; respiratory multiplex polymerase chain reaction; assay performance characteristics.

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