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. 2013 Jan;139(1):118-23.
doi: 10.1309/AJCPH7X3NLYZPHBW.

Implementation of filmarray respiratory viral panel in a core laboratory improves testing turnaround time and patient care

Min Xu  1 , Xuan Qin, Michael L Astion, Joe C Rutledge, Joanne Simpson, Keith R Jerome, Janet A Englund, Danielle M Zerr, Russell T Migita, Shannon Rich, John C Childs, Anne Cent, Mark A Del Beccaro
Affiliations

Implementation of filmarray respiratory viral panel in a core laboratory improves testing turnaround time and patient care

Min Xu et al. Am J Clin Pathol. 2013 Jan.

Abstract

The FilmArray respiratory virus panel detects 15 viral agents in respiratory specimens using polymerase chain reaction. We performed FilmArray respiratory viral testing in a core laboratory at a regional children's hospital that provides service 24 hours a day 7 days a week. The average and median turnaround time were 1.6 and 1.4 hours, respectively, in contrast to 7 and 6.5 hours documented 1 year previously at an on-site reference laboratory using a direct fluorescence assay (DFA) that detected 8 viral agents. During the study period, rhinovirus was detected in 20% and coronavirus in 6% of samples using FilmArray; these viruses would not have been detected with DFA. We followed 97 patients with influenza A or influenza B who received care at the emergency department (ED). Overall, 79 patients (81%) were given oseltamivir in a timely manner defined as receiving the drug in the ED, a prescription in the ED, or a prescription within 3 hours of ED discharge. Our results demonstrate that molecular technology can be successfully deployed in a nonspecialty, high-volume, multidisciplinary core laboratory.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Daily volume of FilmArray respiratory viral testing was tallied during the period from December 14, 2011, to April 19, 2012.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Weekly respiratory samples detected as positive for influenza A H1 2009, influenza H3, influenza B, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), or rhinovirus/enterovirus.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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