Detection of human rhinovirus (HRV)‎ in upper respiratory tract infections by RT-PCR technique

Abstract EN

Human rhinovirus (HRV) is the most common respiratory microorganism, which causes acute respiratory infections especially in healthy young children, elderly people, and the immunocompromised person.

The diagnosis of rhinovirus infection by clinical and convenient means is more complicated because of the lack of sensitive, accurate tools for differentiation of the rhinovirus from other respiratory tract viral infections.

Here, we had developed a rapid, specific and sensitive one step Reverse Transcription Real-Time PCR molecular method for the detection of human rhinovirus (HRV) from nasopharyngeal secretion specimens.

The Primers designed from the highly conserved polyprotein gene of human rhinovirus.

Our results that had shown a positive RT-PCR assay were specific in detection of HRV and observed in 41 out of 50 specimens (82%).

We conclude that onestep RT-PCR assay was a highly specific and rapid technique for the detection of HRV RNA in nasopharyngeal secretions of patients with acute respiratory tract infections.