Abstract
BackgroundInfluenza A and B viruses mainly cause respiratory infectious disease. Till now, few tests are able to simultaneously detect both, especially in primary medical establishments.MethodsThis study was designed to compare the performance of two different one-step-combined test strips for the detection of influenza A and B: one strip with fluorescent microspheres for tracers (FMT); and the other strip with colored microspheres for tracers (CMT). To test the strips, cultures of influenza A, B, and other pathogenic viruses were used, in addition to 1085 clinical specimens from symptomatic patients with respiratory infections. Real-time RT-PCR was also considered as a reference method used to detect the different results of FMT and CTM.ResultsDetection thresholds for influenza A and B cultures using serial dilutions revealed that the sensitivity of FMT was higher than that of CMT (both P < 0.05). With the culture mixtures of Coxsackie virus (A16), enteric cytopathic human orphan virus (ECHO type30), enterovirus (EV71), rotavirus (LLR strain), and enteric adenovirus (AdV 41), specificity assessment demonstrated that there was no cross reaction during the usage of the two test strips as shown by the results which were negative. In the detection of influenza A in 1085 clinical specimens, the total coincidence rate was 96.7%, the positive coincidence rate was 97.1%, and the negative coincidence rate was 96.7%. In the case of influenza B detection, the total coincidence rate was 99.1%, the positive coincidence rate was 92.6%, and the negative coincidence rate was 98.5%. In addition, with influenza A or B real-time RT-PCR detection method, the results showed that, for influenza A, 26 of the 33 specimens that negative with CMT but positive with FMT, showed positive results, and none of the 3 specimens that positive with CMT but negative with FMT showed a positive result; For influenza B, 12 of the 15 specimens that negative with CMT but positive with FMT, showed positive results, and none of the 5 specimens that positive with CMT but negative with FMT showed a positive result.ConclusionsFMT performed better than CMT in the combined detection of influenza A and B viruses.
Highlights
Influenza A and B viruses mainly cause respiratory infectious disease
After the two-fold serial dilutions of the influenza A cultures to 1/28 (58 × 102 plaqueforming units (PFU)/mL), the colored microspheres for tracers (CMT) results were negative, whereas viruses were still detected as positive result with fluorescent microspheretracers (FMT), till the dilutions of 1/29
After the two-fold serial dilutions of the influenza B cultures to 1/27 (16.4 × 102 PFU/mL), the CMT results were negative, whereas viruses were still detected as positive result with FMT, till the dilutions of 1/28 (8.2 × 102 PFU/mL) as negative
Summary
Influenza A and B viruses mainly cause respiratory infectious disease. Influenza is caused by a type of virus that mainly attacks the upper respiratory tract (nose and throat). It can affect parts of the lower respiratory tract such as bronchi and rarely lungs [1]. Influenza A and B are the two types that routinely spread in humans and cause seasonal flu epidemics with severe symptoms. Influenza A and B viruses infect 5 to 15% of the global population annually and cause an estimated 250,000 to 500,000 deaths [2]. Influenza A and B viruses are tested for simultaneously during the clinical diagnosis of viral respiratory infections
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
