Diagnosis of respiratory tract viruses in 24 h by immunofluorescent staining of shell vial cultures containing Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells.

Nine hundred and seventy-eight clinical specimens were examined taken from patients with respiratory tract viruses (RV)-like syndrome between November 1996 and July 1998. The study was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of centrifuge-enhanced shell vial cultures (SVC) containing Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells, combined with immunofluorescent (IF) staining in 24 h. This technique rapidly detects and identifies respiratory tract viruses. The conventional tube culture system with multiple cell lines would ordinarily detect RV within 3-30 days. The SVC/IF method using single cell line (MDCK cells) allowed detection of 81.5% of influenza A virus, 72% of parainfluenza virus, 82.6% of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and 79.6% of adenovirus in 24 h.