Evaluation of Nanogen MGB Alert® Detection Reagents in a multiplex real-time PCR for influenza virus types A and B and respiratory syncytial virus

A multiplex real-time RT-PCR assay that detects influenza A, influenza B and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) using the MGB Alert® Influenza A&B/RSV Detection Reagent RUO (Nanogen, San Diego, CA) was developed. The Nanogen detection reagents consist of PCR primers and minor groove binder-conjugated hybridization probes for each virus and an internal control. Virus typing was determined by post-PCR melt curve analysis. A non-competitive armored RNA internal control was co-extracted with each sample to monitor nucleic acid extraction and RT-PCR. The assay was evaluated using a collection of culture, DFA and RT-PCR (Hexaplex, Prodesse, Waukesha, WI) positive and negative samples. The real-time multiplex assay detected 236 of 237 positive specimens for a 99% correlation. Of 30 Hexaplex negative samples tested, the multiplex real-time assay detected an additional 7 positives confirmed using additional PCR assays. Melt curve analysis for each virus produced average melting peaks of 60.4 °C, 66.7 °C and 69.4 °C for influenza A, influenza B and RSV respectively. Sequence analysis of 7 influenza A samples producing aberrant melt curves, confirmed the presence of a single nucleotide polymorphism beneath the influenza A probe. The limit of detection of each virus in 4 different sample types was measured to be between 7 and 806 copies. Overall, the multiplexed real-time RT-PCR assay was sensitive, robust and easy to use.