Until recently , conventional culture techniques and immunofluorecence assays were considered the gold standard for the detection of respiratory viruses ,
These methods are now widely replaced with appropriate DNA - and RNA - based amplification techniques , in particular real time PCR amplification , for the detection of an extended number of agents responsible for acute respiratory infections .
Until recently , conventional culture techniques and immunofluorecence assays were considered the gold standard for the detection of respiratory viruses , even though results are mostly available too late or lacked specificity and sensitivity .
These methods are now widely replaced with appropriate DNA - and RNA - based amplification techniques , in particular real time PCR amplification , for the detection of an extended number of agents responsible for acute respiratory infections .