Real-time PCR assays address these issues by combining amplification and detection in one reaction tube, thus facilitating automation and reducing contamination. In addition, this technique allows for the quantification of pathogens and the assessment of replication efficiency. As with conventional PCR, multiplex real-time assays are subject to competition and inhibition among primers [5, 35] . Real-time assays are also restricted in the number of reaction products that can be detected in parallel [35] , although this problem can be partially circumvented using arrays of uniplex real-time reactions at very small volumes [36] . Successful in-house realtime assays directed against respiratory pathogens have been developed using uniplex [37] and multiplex [38, 39] approaches, but data on the performance of commercialized versions are not readily available.