The impact of laboratory characteristics on molecular detection of respiratory syncytial virus in a European multicentre quality control study.

The performance of nucleic acid amplification techniques for detecting respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was evaluated in 25 laboratories across Europe by an external quality assessment study. In addition, factors related to the diagnostic performance of laboratories were explored. The results of this quality control study show that the performance of laboratories for RSV diagnosis in Europe is good, with an overall correct score of 88%. The type of assay (nested or real-time PCR vs. commercial tests) was identified as a significant factor (OR 8.39; 95% CI 1.91-36.78) in predicting a correct result.