Detection of respiratory syncytial virus in nasopharyngeal secretions by shell vial technique.

A shell vial technique was used to recover respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) from frozen nasopharyngeal specimens previously tested by rapid diagnostic methods. With specimens determined to be positive by direct fluorescence assay (DFA), the shell vial technique was at least as sensitive as conventional tissue culture (92 versus 90%). The majority of RSV isolates were detected within 16 h postinoculation, versus an average of 4.5 days by conventional techniques. Also, the shell vial method recovered RSV from 16 of 17 specimens (94%) which had previously tested positive by enzyme immunoassay (EIA). In addition, the shell vial method detected RSV in 4 and 11% of specimens previously determined to be negative by DFA and EIA, respectively. Therefore, we recommend the use of the shell vial technique for specimens testing negative by the rapid methods of DFA or EIA.