RESUMEN
Background. The Serious Outcomes Surveillance Network of the Canadian Immunization Research Network (CIRN SOS) has been performing active influenza surveillance since 2009 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01517191). Influenza A and B viruses are identified and characterized using real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and multiplex testing has been performed on a subset of patients to identify other respiratory virus aetiologies. Since both methods can identify influenza A and B, a direct comparison was performed.Methods. Validated real-time RT-PCRs from the World Health Organization (WHO) to identify influenza A and B viruses, characterize influenza A viruses into the H1N1 or H3N2 subtypes and describe influenza B viruses belonging to the Yamagata or Victoria lineages. In a subset of patients, the Seeplex RV15 One-Step ACE Detection assay (RV15) kit was also used for the detection of other respiratory viruses.Results. In total, 1111 nasopharyngeal swabs were tested by RV15 and real-time RT-PCRs for influenza A and B identification and characterization. For influenza A, RV15 showed 98.0â% sensitivity, 100â% specificity and 99.7â% accuracy. The performance characteristics of RV15 were similar for influenza A subtypes H1N1 and H3N2. For influenza B, RV15 had 99.2â% sensitivity, 100â% specificity and 99.8â% accuracy, with similar assay performance being shown for both the Yamagata and Victoria lineages.Conclusions. Overall, the detection of circulating subtypes of influenza A and lineages of influenza B by RV15 was similar to detection by real-time RT-PCR. Multiplex testing with RV15 allows for a more comprehensive respiratory virus surveillance in hospitalized adults, without significantly compromising the reliability of influenza A or B virus detection.
Asunto(s)
Virus de la Influenza A/aislamiento & purificación , Virus de la Influenza B/aislamiento & purificación , Gripe Humana/virología , Técnicas de Diagnóstico Molecular/métodos , Reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa Multiplex/métodos , Adulto , Canadá/epidemiología , Femenino , Hospitalización , Humanos , Virus de la Influenza A/clasificación , Virus de la Influenza A/genética , Virus de la Influenza B/clasificación , Virus de la Influenza B/genética , Gripe Humana/diagnóstico , Gripe Humana/epidemiología , Gripe Humana/terapia , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Sensibilidad y EspecificidadRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The Aptima Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) 1&2 Assay recently received Health Canada approved for detection and differentiation of HSV-1 and HSV-2 from anogenital sites. This assay uses target capture, transcription mediated amplification, and real-time detection of messenger RNA (mRNA) produced in host cells during active HSV infection. To evaluate its performance, the Aptima assay was compared to another Health Canada approved assay, the BD ProbeTec Herpes Simplex Viruses HSV 1&2 Qx Amplified DNA Assay, which uses strand displacement amplification technology. METHODS: As recommended by the manufacturers, the Aptima and ProbeTec assays were performed on the Panther and Viper instruments, respectively. Analytical sensitivity and specificity were assessed using 10-fold serial dilution of viruses in viral universal transport media (UTM), and nucleic acids extracted and concentrated from other viruses including all members of the Herpesviridae family. The clinical sensitivity and specificity were assessed retrospectively using 60 archived specimens, and prospectively using 158 swabs in UTM. Discrepant results were resolved with real-time PCR using the Altona Diagnostics RealStar alpha Herpes assay. RESULTS: Both the Aptima and ProbeTec assays showed excellent analytical and clinical specificity. However, the Aptima HSV assay failed to detect HSV in specimens with low viral loads, resulting in reduced sensitivity for HSV-2 during the retrospective evaluation at 85.0%, and for HSV-1 at 85.0% during the prospective evaluation. CONCLUSIONS: This study compared the Aptima and ProbeTec HSV assays and demonstrated that detection of HSV mRNA using the Aptima HSV assay was less sensitive in both retrospective and prospective analyses.
Asunto(s)
Herpes Simple/diagnóstico , Herpesvirus Humano 1/genética , Herpesvirus Humano 2/genética , Técnicas de Diagnóstico Molecular/métodos , Automatización , Estudios de Casos y Controles , ADN Viral/genética , Diagnóstico Diferencial , Herpes Simple/virología , Herpesvirus Humano 1/fisiología , Herpesvirus Humano 2/fisiología , Humanos , Técnicas de Diagnóstico Molecular/instrumentación , Estudios Prospectivos , Reacción en Cadena en Tiempo Real de la Polimerasa , Estudios Retrospectivos , Sensibilidad y Especificidad , Carga ViralRESUMEN
The purpose of this study was to ascertain the amount of stalking taking place on the Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) campus in which computers play such a huge role in the lives of the students. Our results were then compared with those reported in a stalking study done at West Virginia University (WVU). Surprisingly (to us), a smaller percentage of both females and males were stalked at WPI. The use of the Internet did not play a major role in stalking as we had expected. Results reported in a TV news report and a newspaper article indicate, however, that much less stalking occurs among the general population than does at WVU and WPI.
