Viral Detection by Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction in Upper Respiratory Tract and Metagenomic RNA Sequencing in Lower Respiratory Tract in Critically Ill Children With Suspected Lower Respiratory Tract InfectionChristina M Osborne, Charles Langelier Jack Kamm, Kayla Williamson, Lilliam Ambroggio, Ron W Reeder, Christopher Locandro, J Kirk Harris, Brandie D Wagner, Aline B Maddux, Saharai Caldera, Amy Lyden, Victoria Soesanto, Eric A F Simoes 2, Matthew K Leroue, Todd C Carpenter, Mark W Hall, Athena F Zuppa, Joseph A Carcillo, Kathleen L Meert, Murray M Pollack, Patrick S McQuillen, Daniel A Notterman, Joseph DeRisi, Peter M Mourani, National Institute for Child Health and Human Development Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network
Society of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, 2024Abstract: Viral lower respiratory tract infection (vLRTI) contributes to substantial morbidity and mortality in children. Diagnosis is typically confirmed by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of nasopharyngeal specimens in hospitalized patients; however, it is unknown whether nasopharyngeal detection accurately reflects presence of virus in the lower respiratory tract (LRT). This study evaluates agreement between viral detection from nasopharyngeal specimens by RT-PCR compared with metagenomic next-generation RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) from tracheal aspirates (TAs).
