Direct screening of clinical specimens for multiple respiratory pathogens using the Genaco Respiratory Panels 1 and 2

We report here on the results of a pilot study comparing our clinical diagnostic virology laboratory's current methods of respiratory pathogen detection against the Genaco Respiratory Infections Panels 1 and 2. These assays employ xMap (Luminex) liquid phase bead conjugated array technology to facilitate automated detection of PCR and RT-PCR products, which provides potential for levels of assay multiplexing above those currently practical with either conventional gel-resolved or real-time methods. In the study presented here we used the Genaco panels to simultaneously screen previously analyzed clinical specimens (nasopharyngeal washings) for twenty-one important pathogens. Our results indicate the Genaco panels met or exceeded our current methods' sensitivity and specificity although allowing for detection of a wider range of infectious agents than practical by current diagnostic laboratory practices. In addition, the Genaco panels provided data on the presence of multiple respiratory pathogens in single specimens, which would otherwise be missed in most instances. To our knowledge, this study represents the first trial of these panels on standard clinical specimens in a routine diagnostic setting.