| Title | Routine viral culture for pediatric respiratory specimens submitted for direct immunofluorescence testing. | ||
| Author | Blanding, J G; Hoshiko, M G; Stutman, H R | ||
| Journal | J Clin Microbiol | Publication Year/Month | 1989-Jul |
| PMID | 2671012 | PMCID | PMC267588 |
| Affiliation | 1.Department of Pathology Memorial Medical Center of Long Beach, California 90801-1428. | ||
From 1986 to 1987, 69 (25%) of 274 specimens from children with lower respiratory tract syndromes were positive for respiratory syncytial virus antigen by direct immunofluorescence assay (DFA). Comprehensive viral culture was performed on all 205 DFA-negative specimens, and 72 specimens yielded viruses; 5 specimens yielded multiple agents. Thus, 52% of specimens yielded a specific virus, supporting the routine use of viral culture. Isolates from the DFA-negative specimens included respiratory syncytial virus (n = 7), rhinovirus (n = 34), hemadsorbing viruses (n = 13), cytomegalovirus (n = 11), adenovirus (n = 8), enteroviruses (n = 3), and herpes simplex virus (n = 2). Although serologic confirmation is needed, cytomegalovirus may be an underappreciated cause of acute lower respiratory tract infection in normal children. Further studies must be conducted to document this possibility.