Key Point

A new DNA microarray–based viral detection platform is able to identify a wider range of viral pathogens than ever before.

In a new study published in the September 15 Journal of Infectious Diseases, researchers reported finding an unexpected diversity of coronaviruses and rhinoviruses in patients with respiratory tract infections (RTIs).

The Virochip technique, a DNA micro-array or genome chip developed by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, uses the most conserved sequences of all known viruses of humans, animals, plants, and microbes for its detection system. The new study is the first to employ this strategy to investigate the viruses associated with RTIs in people with and without asthma.

The study, conducted by Amy Kistler, PhD, and colleagues, involved 53 asthmatic and 30 nonasthmatic adults tested for viruses at various stages of health. The Virochip identified a higher proportion of samples than did culture isolation (65% vs 17%, respectively) and showed a high concordance (98%) with pathogen-specific polymerase chain reaction, with comparable sensitivity (97%) and specificity (98%).

The method identified “a wholly new branch of the phylogenetic tree” for the human rhinovirus, the researchers noted. They also detected 30 distinct known species of rhinoviruses and found that only one of the two coronaviruses thought to be responsible for up to 15% of all colds in the United States was detectable in this study population. Instead, two newly described strains of coronaviruses dominated.

As a next step, Dr. Kistler suggested that future groups use the Virochip to continue to accumulate knowledge about such viruses. “The range and depth of viral detection [using the Virochip] are significant, since gaining a comprehensive understanding of the viral pathogen diversity associated with asthma exacerbations may enable the development of specific strategies for treating or preventing asthma exacerbations caused by viral respiratory infection.”           

Suggested Reading
Kistler A, Avila PC, Rouskin S, et al. Pan-viral screening of respiratory tract infections in adults with and without asthma reveals unexpected human coronavirus and human rhinovirus diversity. J Infect Dis. 2007;196(6):817-825.

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