Evaluation of the FPMC respiratory panel for detection of respiratory tract pathogens in nasopharyngeal swab and sputum specimens

The performance of the new Respiratory Pathogen panel (fluorescent probe melting curve, FPMC) for the qualitative detection of 12 organisms (chlamydia pneumoniae, mycoplasma pneumoniae, adenovirus, influenza A virus, influenza B virus, parainfluenza virus, rhinovirus, etc.) was assessed. Prospectively collected nasopharyngeal swab (NPS) and sputum specimens (n = 635) were detected by using the FPMC panel, with the Sanger sequencing method as the comparative method. The overall percent concordance between the FPMC analysis method and the Sanger sequencing method was 100% and 99.66% for NPS and sputum specimens, respectively. The FPMC testified an overall positive percent concordance of 100% for both NPS and sputum specimens. The FPMC analysis method also testified an overall negative percent concordance of 100% and 99.38% for NPS and sputum specimens, respectively. The FPMC analysis method is a stable and accurate assay for rapid, comprehensive detecting for respiratory pathogens.