Prospective evaluation of a new automated nucleic acid extraction system using routine clinical respiratory specimens

The aim of the study was to evaluate the MagNA Pure 96? nucleic acid extraction system using clinical respiratory specimens for identifying viruses by qualitative real‐time PCR assays. Three extraction methods were tested, that is, the MagNA Pure LC?, the COBAS Ampliprep?, and the MagNA Pure 96? with 10‐fold dilutions of an influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 sample. Two hundred thirty‐nine respiratory specimens, 35 throat swabs, 164 nasopharyngeal specimens, and 40 broncho‐alveolar fluids, were extracted with the MagNA Pure 96? and the COBAS Ampliprep? instruments. Forty COBAS Ampliprep? positive samples were also tested. Real‐time PCRs were used to identify influenza A and influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, rhinovirus, enterovirus, adenovirus, varicella zoster virus, cytomegalovirus, and herpes simplex virus. Similar results were obtained on RNA extracted from dilutions of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 with the three systems: the MagNA Pure LC?, the COBAS Ampliprep?, and the MagNA Pure 96?. Data from clinical respiratory specimens extracted with the MagNA Pure 96? and COBAS Ampliprep? instruments were in 98.5% in agreement (P < 0.0001) for influenza A and influenza A(H1N1)pdm09. Data for rhinovirus were in 97.3% agreement (P < 0.0001) and in 96.8% agreement for enterovirus. They were in 100% agreement for adenovirus. Data for cytomegalovirus and HSV1‐2 were in 95.2% agreement (P < 0.0001). The MagNA Pure 96? instrument is easy‐to‐use, reliable, and has a high throughput for extracting total nucleic acid from respiratory specimens. These extracts are suitable for molecular diagnosis with any type of real‐time PCR assay. J. Med. Virol. 84:906–911, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.