Analytical performance of the automated multianalyte point-of-care mariPOC® for the detection of respiratory viruses

The analytical performance of mariPOC® respi test (ArcDia® Laboratories, Turku, Finland) was evaluated using nucleic acid amplification techniques (NAATs) as the gold standard. The mariPOC assay allows automated detection of antigens from 8 respiratory viruses: influenza A and B viruses, respiratory syncytial virus, adenovirus, human metapneumovirus, and parainfluenza viruses 1-3. Positive results from samples with high viral load are available in 20 min. Nasopharyngeal aspirates (n = 192) from patients with acute respiratory infection and from previously positive samples were analyzed by mariPOC and NAATs (SimplexaTM FluA/FluB & RSV kit [n = 118] and Luminex® Respiratory virus panel xTAG® RVP FAST [n = 74]). Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of mariPOC were 85.4%, 99.2%, 95.9%, and 97%, respectively, and 84.6% of positive results were reported in 20 min. The good analytical performance and extended portfolio of mariPOC show this rapid assay as a good alternative for the etiological diagnosis of acute respiratory infection in laboratories that are not equipped with molecular assays.