การตรวจหา Human metapneumovirus antigen ในน้าล้างหลังโพรงจมูก ด้วยวิธี immunofluorescence assay

บทคัดย่อ

Human Metapneumovirus (hMPV), a recently identified respiratory virus, has emerged
as an important etiologic agent of upper and lower respiratory tract infections in children and
adults. Although laboratory diagnosis of hMPV infection relied on molecular biology technique,
cost of testing is a limitation of this test. The alternative method such as immunofluorescence
assay (IFA) is required because it is cheaper and faster. Thus, aim of this study was to evaluate
a direct antigen test by IFA and determine prevalence of hMPV infection in Siriraj hospital,
Thailand. A total of 655 nasopharyngeal washing specimens were collected in viral transport
medium and sent to Microbiology laboratory, Siriraj Hospital during May 2012 to April 2013
and 475 nasopharyngeal washing specimens were collected in July 2013 to June 2014. The
sensitivity and specificity of IFA was compared to real time PCR. The sensitivity and specificity
of IFA were 95.5%, 94.7%, respectively, when compared to real time PCR. The prevalence
of hMPV during 2012-2013 was performed by using IFA and found that it was 3.8% (25/655)
during May 2012 to April 2013 and 5.7% (27/475) during July 2013 to June 2014. The highest
prevalence of hMPV infection was detected in children aged less than 5 years. Peaks of
detection were found in August 2012 to February 2013 and August 2013 to January 2014, which
is the rainy and winter season in Thailand.