title: Evaluation of 3 rapid influenza diagnostic tests during the 2012-2013 epidemic: influences of subtype and viral load.
abstract: This article evaluates the performance of 3 rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDTs), in correlation with the influenza subtypes and the viral load. A total of 236 samples were prospectively analyzed with BinaxNOW Influenza A/B, Directigen EZ Flu A and B, and bioNexia Influenza A+B. The results were compared to cell cultures and real-time polymerase chain reaction. Positive samples were further subtyped. Thirty-seven samples were positive for influenza A, and 57, for influenza B. For A(H1N1), the sensitivities were 71.42% for BinaxNOW, 78.57% for Directigen, and 67.85% for bioNexia. Eight samples were positive for A(H3N2), and only the bioNexia test had 1 false-negative result. Lowest sensitivities were observed for influenza B/Yamagata, (56.86% for BinaxNOW and Directigen and 39.21% for bioNexia). The 3 evaluated RIDTs were more efficient at detecting influenza A(H3N2) than for A(H1N1) and B/Yamagata. Highest viral loads in the samples were associated with better rate of detection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Iris-Lab, Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address: laurent_busson@stpierre-bru.be.
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Busson
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Diagnosis, Iris-Lab, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hallin
authors.affiliation: National Influenza Center, Scientific Institute of Public Health, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Iris-Lab, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Foor
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Iris-Lab, Brussels, Belgium; Infectious Diseases Epidemiological Unit, Public Health School, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Vandenberg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000379:methods*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity; D053122:Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D019562:Viral Load / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Binax; Directigen; Immunochromatography; Influenza; RIDT; bioNexia