Comparison of the Performances of the Accunome DXcellence and Cepheid GeneXpert Assays in Detecting Influenza A and B Viruses and Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Nasopharyngeal Swab

ABSTRACT Background Respiratory viruses, such as influenza A and B and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), pose a severe threat to public health. The precise identification and distinction of these viruses are crucial in clinical laboratories. Here, we comparatively evaluated the performance of the Accunome DXcellence assay and the Cepheid GeneXpert assay in the detection of influenza A and B and RSV in nasopharyngeal swab specimens. Methods Four hundred archived nasopharyngeal swab specimens collected for routine clinical analysis were tested in parallel with the Accunome DXcellence assay and Cepheid GeneXpert assay. RNA standards were serially diluted and tested with the Accunome DXcellence assay to calculate the limit of detection (LOD). Results The positive and negative percentage agreement between the Accunome DXcellence assay and the Cepheid GeneXpert assay was as follows: 94.9% (74/78) and 100% (321/321), respectively, for influenza A; 98.1% (104/106) and 100% (293/293), respectively, for influenza B; and 100% (22/22) and 100% (377/377), respectively, for RSV. The LODs of the Accunome DXcellence assay for influenza A and B and RSV were 100, 87.5, and 62.5 copies/mL, respectively. Conclusions The performance of the Accunome DXcellence assay was similar to that of the Cepheid GeneXpert assay in the detection of influenza A, B, and RSV in nasopharyngeal swab specimens, indicating that the Accunome DXcellence assay is a useful diagnostic tool when these viruses are cocirculating.