Contribution of Respiratory Syncytial Virus and Human Metapneumovirus in Patients with Severe Acute Respiratory Infections in Egypt, AMANY EL-KHOLY, MONA S. HAMDY, NASHWA M. REDA and EIMAN ABDUL-RAHMAN
Abstract
Background: Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARIS) represent serious global health burden. Human Metapneumovirus (bMPV) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are associated with a substantial proportion of SARI especially in infants and young children.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate die contribution of RSV and hMPV to the hospitalization of SARI patients in Cairo University Hospitals from February 2010 to May 2011 and to validate the PrimerDesign genesig quantitative real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) kit for detection and quantification of RSV and hMNV.
Patients and Methods: We prospectively tested 1381 patients admitted to Cairo University Hospitals with SARI during the study period. Respiratory samples were tested using PrimerDesign qRT-PCR and were tested at NAMRU3 for validation of results.
Results: Of the 1381 respiratory samples tested, 301 (21.8%) were positive for RSV and 50 (3.6%) were positive for IiMPV by qRT-PCR. Most of positive cases for viral infection were in patients aged less than 3 years. Using the results provided by NAМRU-3 as the gold standard test, the primer Design kit detection and quantification of RSV showed 98.2% sensitivity, 93.5% specificity, 91.8% positive predictive value, 98.6%, negative predictive value and 98.6% accuracy and the PrimerDesign kit for detection and quantification of hMPV showed 95.4% sensitivity, 98.2% specificity, 913% positive predictive value, 99%, negative predictive value and 97.8% accuracy.
Conclusion: RSV and IiMPV are important contributors to cases of SARI in our country especially in children below three years of age.