Is the interpretation of rapid antigen testing for respiratory syncytial virus as simple as positive or negative?

Objective: To measure the performance characteristics of an immunochromatographic rapid antigen test for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and determine how its interpretation should be contextualised in patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with bronchiolitis.

Design: Diagnostic accuracy study of a rapid RSV test.

Setting: County hospital ED.

Comparison of respiratory virus detection rates for infants and toddlers by use of flocked swabs, saline aspirates, and saline aspirates mixed in universal transport medium for room temperature storage and shipping.

A nylon flocked swab/universal transport medium collection method developed for bacterial sexually transmitted infections was adapted to detect respiratory viruses in infants and toddlers. This method significantly outperformed the traditional use of nasal aspirates in terms of PCR-based virus detection (P = 0.016), and the samples were easier for clinicians to evaluate, store, and transport.