Improved detection of respiratory viruses in pediatric outpatients with acute respiratory illness by real-time PCR using nasopharyngeal flocked swabs.

Detection of respiratory viruses by real-time multiplexed PCR (M-PCR) and of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) by M-PCR and immunofluorescence (IF) was evaluated using specimens collected by nasopharyngeal flocked swabbing (NFS) and nasal washes (NW). In children with mild respiratory illness, NFS collection was superior to NW collection for detection of viruses by M-PCR (sensitivity, 89.6% versus 79.2%; P = 0.0043). NFS collection was noninferior to NW collection in the detection of RSV by IF.