Effectively Improving the Management of Respiratory Diseases in Children

Respiratory infections caused by human adenovirus (HAdV) are a common occurrence, accounting for approximately 7-8% of viral respiratory diseases in children under the age of five. Distinguishing between bacterial and viral infections in a clinical setting can be challenging.

In this study, the researchers aimed to evaluate the performance of the STANDARD™ F Adeno Respi Ag FIA test in diagnosing HAdV respiratory infections. They collected oropharyngeal swabs from 100 patients who visited the pediatric emergency room between October 2019 and November 2020. These patients were suspected to have upper respiratory tract infections but tested negative for influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

The oropharyngeal swabs were rapidly processed using the STANDARD™ F Adeno Respi Ag FIA test. The results obtained from this test were then confirmed using the RealStar® Adenovirus PCR Kit 1.0 (Altona diagnostics), which is a highly accurate molecular diagnostic method for detecting adenovirus.

The results of the study showed that the STANDARD™ F Adeno Respi Ag FIA test had a sensitivity of 71.93% and a specificity of 100%. Sensitivity refers to the ability of the test to correctly identify positive cases, while specificity indicates the ability to correctly identify negative cases. These values indicate that the test has a high degree of accuracy in correctly identifying HAdV infections.

Further analysis of the data revealed that the performance of the test was even better in samples collected from children under 24 months of age and taken within 72 hours of the onset of symptoms. In this subgroup, the test demonstrated a sensitivity of 88.8% and a specificity of 100%.

Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that the STANDARD™ F Adeno Respi Ag FIA test could significantly enhance the management of respiratory diseases in children under 24 months of age who present to pediatric emergency rooms within 72 hours of symptom onset. By accurately identifying HAdV infections, this test could help clinicians make more informed decisions regarding patient care and treatment.

In summary, the study demonstrated that the STANDARD™ F Adeno Respi Ag FIA test is a valuable tool for diagnosing HAdV respiratory infections, particularly in young children presenting to pediatric emergency rooms. Its high specificity and reasonable sensitivity, especially in the targeted subgroup, make it a promising option for improving the management of respiratory diseases in this population.

Reference:
Romero-Gómez MP, Bloise-Sánchez I, Gómez-Arroyo B, et al. Rapid antigen test for adenovirus in children: Age and onset of symptoms are important. Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin (Engl Ed). Published online Apr 17, 2023. doi:10.1016/j.eimce.2022.09.015