Rapid diagnosis of influenza A. Comparison with ELISA immunocapture and culture.
The Directigen Flu-A is an enzyme immunoassay for detecting in 15 min the influenza A nucleoproteinic antigen directly from specimens after passive adsorption on a cellulose membrane. The test was assessed using 160 frozen (-20 degrees C) specimens collected during the 1988-1989 A/H1N1 influenza epidemic and the 1989-1990 A/H3N2 epidemic. Compared to the ELISA immunocapture test, the sensitivity of the commercial test was 87.8% and the specificity was 97.6%. When compared to isolation of viruses on LLCMK2 cells and/or chicken embryo, the sensitivity was 84%. No cross-reaction was found with other respiratory disease viruses. The feasibility, practicability and rapidity of the test make it a test of choice for rapid diagnosis of influenza A.
Chomel
J J
JJ
Laboratoire de Virologie-CHU, Lyon, France.
Remilleux
M F
MF
Marchand
P
P
Aymard
M
M
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D000956:Antigens, Viral