Prospective case‐control study of enterovirus detection differences in children's cerebrospinal fluid between multiplex PCR and real‐time RT‐PCR assay. Issue 2 (4th November 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: You, Dianping; Chen, Fang; Li, Jingjie; Zeng, Xianping; Wang, Weijian; Guo, Yinghui; Yang, Fan; Sun, Suzhen; Wang, Le
• Is Part Of: Journal of clinical laboratory analysis. Volume 35:Issue 2(2021)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2020-11-04
• Subjects: children -- enterovirus -- multiplex PCR -- real‐time PCR; Diagnosis, Laboratory -- Periodicals; Medical laboratory technology -- Periodicals; 616
• DOI: 10.1002/jcla.23606
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0887-8013

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Viral encephalitis is common in childhood. It is an acute brain parenchymal inflammation caused by a variety of viral infection, and enterovirus accounts for the majority. Due to atypical clinical manifestations, pathogenic testing is important for assisting clinical diagnosis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of the multiplex PCR assay compared with quantitative real‐time PCR for enterovirus detection. Methods: A prospective case‐control study was performed involving 103 pediatric patients suspected for viral encephalitis and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were collected and tested for 9 pathogens using multiplex PCR assay during April to November in 2018. In parallel, an aliquot of samples was tested for enterovirus infection by real‐time PCR assay. Results: There were 85.4% children were confirmed as viral encephalitis on discharge, the remaining ones were diagnosed as other CNS diseases, such as epilepsy. The specificity of the two methods was the same as that of the clinical diagnosis, but the sensitivity and consistency with clinical diagnosis of multiplex PCR were both higher than the real‐time PCR. Besides of enterovirus, multiplex PCR could also detect coinfection of enterovirus with Epstein‐Barr virus and mumps virus. Conclusion: Results of multiplex PCR method are more consistent with the clinical diagnosis and are superior to real‐time PCR for detecting enterovirus in CSF. Abstract : A comparison study between pathogen detection of viral encephalitis was conducted in a case‐control manner. The specificity of the two methods was the same as that of the clinical diagnosis, but the consensus value and sensitivity of the multiplex PCR were both higher than the real‐time PCR.