title: Effectiveness of two rapid influenza tests in comparison to reverse transcription-PCR for influenza A diagnosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The influenza A virus is responsible for high morbidity and mortality in children and adults worldwide. Thus, a rapid, sensitive, and specific diagnosis tool is required.
  
  
  METHODS
  An immunofluorescence assay (DFA) and a lateral-flow immunochromatographic assay were compared with RT-PCR for detection of the influenza A virus in 113 nasopharyngeal wash samples obtained from pediatric patients. Samples were collected between July and December 2009, during the pandemic outbreak of influenza A H1N1/09.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values obtained for the DFA were 68.97%, 76.63%, 75.47%, and 70%, respectively, while the values obtained for the immunochromatographic assay were 58.62%, 81.82%, 77.27%, and 65.22%, respectively. The frequency of the influenza A virus was 51.33%, and a total of 27 samples were positive for the pandemic influenza A H1N1/09.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DFA and the immunochromatographic assay can be important tools for patient care during influenza season and in outbreaks as they usually provide results within 45 minutes. Furthermore, positive results in conjunction with the patient's symptoms could provide a correct diagnosis, thus facilitating appropriate patient management. Nonetheless, the results of these assays still require confirmation by RT-PCR.
authors.affiliation: Autonomous University of Sinaloa, Culiacán, Sinaloa, México. jrzg85@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ramón
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zazueta-García
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Canizalez-Roman
authors.forename: Hector
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Flores-Villaseñor
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martínez-Garcia
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Llausas-Vargas
authors.forename: Nidia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: León-Sicairos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity / Q000379:methods*; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000821:virology; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity