The Open Virology Journal
2019, 13 : 1-8Published online 2019 January 31. DOI: 10.2174/1874357901913010001
Publisher ID: TOVJ-13-1
LETTER
Impact of Enterovirus Molecular Assay Turnaround Time on Hospitalization Length During an Echovirus 30 Meningitis Outbreak, France, Fall 2014
2 Service de Médecine interne, maladies infectieuses et Immunologie Clinique, Hôpital Robert Debré, Avenue Général Koenig 51100 Reims, France
3 Service de Pédiatrie Générale et spécialisée, American Memorial Hospital, 47 Rue Cognacq-Jay, 51100 Reims, France
4 Service de Médecine Néonatale et Réanimation Pédiatrique, Institut Mère Enfant Alix de Champagne, 45 Rue Cognacq-Jay, 51100 Reims, France
* Address correspondence to these authors at the Avenue Général Koenig, 51100 Reims, France; Tel: (+33)326789422; Fax: (+33)326784090; Email: yohan.nguyen@wanadoo.fr
ABSTRACT
Background:
The impact of Enterovirus Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction assay (EV RT-PCR) on hospitalization lengths of patients with aseptic meningitis has been investigated but the impact of early EV RT-PCR results released on time before patient discharge remains unclear during Echovirus meningitis outbreaks.
Objective:
To assess a potential correlation between EV RT-PCR turn-around time and hospitalization lengths during an Echovirus meningitis outbreak.
Method:
Eighteen patients demonstrating a positive EV RT-PCR assay performed on Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) samples collected between October 1st 2014 and December 31st 2014 were retrospectively included. Viral protein 1 (VP1) gene region was amplified and sequenced using a classical Sanger sequencing reaction. Clinical data were retrospectively collected from patient’s records. Quantitative variables expressed as median values and ranges were compared using Mann Whitney U test. Correlations were performed using simple regression analysis.
Results:
Phylogenetic VP1 sequence analyses identified that the outbreak was related to an Echovirus 30 strain in 7 out of the 10 cases with available sequencing data. The three remaining sequences analyses evidenced Echovirus 14, 9 and 7 strains. Hospitalization length was statistically shorter in children without comorbidity (n=5) than in adult patients (n=10) or neonates and children with comorbidity (n=3) (p=0.003 and 0.01 respectively), whereas EV RT-PCR turnaround time was not statistically different between these groups. Correlation between hospitalization length and EV RT-PCR turnaround time was poor (R2=0.06), especially in adults (R2=0.01)
Conclusion:
Our data indicated that EV RT-PCR turnaround time was not correlated to hospitalization length during a short Echovirus meningitis outbreak.