Molecular Diagnosis of Pneumonia Using Multiplex Real-Time PCR Assay RespiFinder® SMART 22 FAST in a Group of Moroccan Infants

Abstract

Background. In Morocco, pediatric pneumonia remains a serious public health problem, as it constitutes the first cause of mortality due to infectious diseases. e etiological diagnosis of acute respiratory tract infections is difficult. erefore, it is necessary to use Multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction assay tests in a routine setting for exact and fast identification. Objectives. In this paper, we present the clinical results of pediatric pneumonia and describe their etiology by using molecular diagnosis. Study design: Tracheal secretion was collected from infants presenting respiratory distress isolated or associated with systemic signs, attending the unit of Neonatology between December 1, 2016, and Mai 31, 2018. Samples were tested with the multiplex RespiFinder ® SMART 22 FAST which potentially detects 18 viruses and 4 bacteria. Results. Of the 86 infants considered in this study (mean age 31 ± 19 days) suspected of acute respiratory tract infections, 71 (83%) were positive for one or multiple viruses or/and bacteria. e majority of acute respiratory tract infections had a viral origin (95%): respiratory syncytial viruses (A and B) (49%), rhinovirus (21%), coronaviruses 229E (11%), humain metapneumovirus (5%), influenza A (3%), influenza H1N1 (1%), adenovirus (2%), and parainfluenza virus type 4 (2%). Among our patients, 6% had Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Coinfections were not associated with severe respiratory symptoms. Conclusion. e clinical spectrum of respiratory infections is complex and often nonspecific. us, the early and fast detection of related causative agents is crucial. e use of multiplex real time polymerase chain reaction may help choose an accurate treatment, reduce the overall use of unnecessary antibiotics, preserve intestinal flora, and decrease nosocomial infection by reducing the length of hospitalization.

Epidemiology of Respiratory Pathogens in Children with Severe Acute Respiratory Infection and Impact of the Multiplex PCR Film Array Respiratory Panel: A 2-Year Study

“…In line with other studies [4,12,24,27,28], viruses were the most respiratory pathogen detected in our research. is underlines the usefulness of mPCR in the etiological diagnosis of respiratory infections in children due to their high sensitivity, specificity, and rapidity, [13] especially when it is difficult to identify the aetiologic pathogen on the basis of symptoms only.…”

Correlation between the Antibiotic Resistance Genes and Susceptibility to Antibiotics among the Carbapenem-Resistant Gram-Negative Pathogens

“…This technology identifies the nucleic acids in the samples even if the pathogen is fastidious or the patient received prior antimicrobial therapy which would render the culture results incomprehensive [ 57 ]. Other rapid molecular diagnosis techniques include the RespiFinder ® SMART 22 FAST, the Unyvero pneumonia cartridge, the ResPlex TM Panels, scalable target analysis routine (STAR) technology and PLEX-ID technology [ 58 , 59 , 60 , 61 ]. Unfortunately, these techniques are not widespread in Egyptian hospitals as they are much more expensive.…”

Cytokine expression patterns in hospitalized children with Bordetella pertussis, Rhinovirus or co-infection

“…The ongoing approach in many hospital settings is to perform a PCR for viruses only when there is a clinical suspicion of an overlap infection. Several studies indicate that co-infection of Bp with a respiratory virus is a common finding when a multiplex PCR is performed and has controversial clinical effects on the course of the disease 46 – 49 .…”