Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 20, 2026
11:00
High-throughput Detection of Respiratory Pathogens in Animal Specimens by Nanoscale PCR
Published on: November 28, 2016
Respiratory virus detection in immunocompromised patients with FilmArray respiratory panel compared to conventional
Sarah P Hammond1, Lisa S Gagne, Shannon R Stock
1Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA. shammond2@partners.org
Journal of Clinical Microbiology
|July 21, 2012
Summary
The FilmArray respiratory panel assay significantly improves the identification of respiratory viruses in immunocompromised patients compared to routine testing. This novel diagnostic tool offers faster results and detects more pathogens, aiding clinical care.
Area of Science:
- Medical Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Clinical Diagnostics
Background:
- Respiratory virus infections pose a significant health risk, leading to severe illness and death in immunocompromised individuals.
- Accurate and rapid diagnosis is crucial for effective clinical management of these patients.
- Current diagnostic methods often lack sensitivity and have lengthy turnaround times.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the performance of the FilmArray respiratory panel assay against routine diagnostic tests for respiratory viruses.
- To evaluate the FilmArray assay's ability to identify a broader range of respiratory pathogens in immunocompromised patients.
Main Methods:
- A total of 90 respiratory samples (bronchoalveolar lavage and nasopharyngeal aspirate) were collected from 87 immunocompromised patients.
- The FilmArray respiratory panel assay, a multiplex PCR test with a 1-hour turnaround time, was used for detection.
- Results were compared to routine clinical testing, with discordant results verified by laboratory-developed real-time PCR.
Main Results:
- The FilmArray assay identified viral pathogens in significantly more samples than routine testing (30/90 vs. 16/90; P = 0.001).
- Additional pathogens detected by FilmArray, such as rhinovirus/enterovirus, human metapneumovirus, and coronavirus, were often not covered by routine tests.
- Verification testing confirmed the accuracy of the FilmArray assay for these additional detections.
Conclusions:
- The FilmArray respiratory panel assay demonstrates superior performance in identifying respiratory viral pathogens in immunocompromised patients.
- This novel assay enhances diagnostic yield, potentially leading to improved patient outcomes through timely and comprehensive pathogen detection.
