These antibodies were originally designed by Percivalle et al. nasopharyngeal aspirates at initial analysis. In the larger group prospective study, nasopharyngeal aspirates from 92 children with acute respiratory tract infections were tested for hMPV with RT-PCR, direct antigen test, and shell vial tradition. Both direct antigen test and shell vial tradition showed positivity for 4 out of 5 specimens positive by RT-PCR. These findings show that direct antigen test and shell vial tradition would be reliable and timely methods for the analysis of hMPV illness in medical laboratories. along with respiratory syncytial computer virus (RSV) (Kahn, 2006). This computer virus is definitely a respiratory viral pathogen that causes top and lower respiratory tract infections in Rgs4 individuals of all age groups, particularly in young children (Chung et al., 2006, Hamelin and Boivin, 2005, vehicle den Hoogen et al., 2001), in both community and health care settings worldwide (Bastien et al., 2003, Falsey et al., 2003, Fouchier et al., 2005, vehicle den Hoogen et al., 2004). The prevalence of hMPV in children with acute respiratory tract infections has been estimated to vary from 5% to 15% (Chung et al., 2006, Hamelin and Boivin, 2005, Kahn, 2006, Principi et al., 2006, vehicle den Hoogen et al., 2001, Williams et al., 2004), making it the second or third most common pathogen in children with acute respiratory tract infections, with only RSV and possibly rhinovirus being more prevalent (Garcia-Garcia et al., 2006, Koetz et al., 2006, Principi et al., 2006, Sarasini et al., 2006, Williams et al., 2004). hMPV was first diagnosed by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) (vehicle den Hoogen et al., 2001), which is still a research method for analysis, and the computer virus can also be isolated by standard cell cultures using LLC-MK2 or Vero cells (Tang and Crowe, 2007). RT-PCR and standard cell cultures, however, are not readily available in medical laboratories. Due to the medical importance of hMPV, quick and simple diagnostic methods are required. Recently, FITC-conjugated monoclonal antibodies specific for hMPV have become commercially available. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of these antibodies in the analysis of hMPV with a direct antigen test and a shell vial tradition. In the pilot study, 15 nasopharyngeal aspirates were from 15 children positive for hMPV by RT-PCR. RT-PCR was performed using a Seeplex RV Detection Kit (Seegene Biotechnology Inc., Seoul, Korea) (Sung et al., 2008). The PCR products from each positive specimen were sequenced and were consistent with hMPV. The 15 hMPV strains recognized with this study were classified as 11 strains of genogroup A2, one strain of genogroup B1, and 3 strains of genogroup B2. Follow-up nasopharyngeal aspirates were from 2 individuals on days 9 and 14, respectively, and from 1 patient on days 8 and 13 after initial analysis. All VU0364289 nasopharyngeal aspirates were stored at 4?C for 2C6 days prior to direct antigen test and shell vial tradition. Each RT-PCR positive specimen was centrifuged at 700?? for 60?min, and each cell pellet was spotted onto a slip. After fixing, the slides were incubated with FITC-anti-hMPV monoclonal antibodies (D3 DFA metapneumovirus; VU0364289 Diagnostic Hybrids Inc., Athens, OH, USA) VU0364289 for 15?min at 37?C. In addition, computer virus was cultured on R-Mix Too cells (Diagnostic Hybrids Inc.). One shell vial of cryopreserved R-mix Too cell monolayer was thawed for 4?min, and the medium was removed and new medium was added. Then, 200?L of the patient specimen supernatant was inoculated and the vials were centrifuged at 700?? for 60?min at room heat. After 48-h incubation at 36?C inside a CO2 incubator, the coverslip containing the cells was fixed with acetone and stained having a D3 DFA metapneumovirus. The stained slip was examined using a fluorescence microscope. The individuals medical records were examined retrospectively for demographic findings and medical diagnoses. Of the 15 nasopharyngeal aspirates positive for hMPV by RT-PCR at initial analysis, 14 (93.3%) were positively stained with D3 DFA metapneumovirus about direct antigen test and shell vial tradition. Using both methods, hMPV-infected human being respiratory cells in nasopharyngeal aspirates and R-Mix Too cells showed good granular or reticular fluorescence in the cytoplasm (Fig. 1 VU0364289 ). One nasopharyngeal aspirate from a pneumonic patient, which had been stored for 3 days before screening, was negative.