title: BinaxNOW® - an immunochromatographic test for the diagnosis of human influenza viruses: comparison with viral culture and polymerase chain reaction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A rapid test for influenza viruses (Binax NOW® ) was evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  In season-1, 35 respiratory samples were tested retrospectively; in season-2, 45 samples were tested prospectively [gold-standard: viral culture in season-1, culture+ reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in season-2].
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sensitivity for Binax for influenza A was 59.3 and 0% in season-1 and -2, respectively. Sensitivity was low for influenza B (33.3% in season-1, 26.1% in season-2). Samples having low viral load were more likely to have a negative Binax test. Specificity of Binax was high (100 and 94.7% with influenza A and B, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sensitivity information provided in the kit insert does not always reflect post licensure performance in clinical settings.
authors.affiliation: HPA West Midlands Public Health Laboratory, Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bhattacharya
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Osman
mesh_terms: D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D009975:Orthomyxoviridae / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013997:Time Factors; D014773:Virology / Q000379:methods*; D014776:Virus Cultivation / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic