A new silver amplification immunochromatography system compared with conventional rapid antigen assay for the diagnosis of influenza A and B / 中国感染与化疗杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To analyze the consistency of two rapid antigen assays for the diagnosis of influenza A and B. We evaluated the clinical usefulness of silver amplification immunochromatography influenza virus detection kit.Methods Nasopharyngeal swab samples were collected from patients who were suspected of influenza at Huashan Hospital between January and February 2015. Two samples were collected from the same one patient. The samples were tested simultaneously by using IMMUNO AG Cartridge Flu AB kit (AG1) and commercial immunochromatographic assay kit, Clearview exact influenza A&B (CV). PCR method was used as reference.Results A total of 91 samples were tested, of which 7 were positive for influenza A and 53 positive for influenza B by AG1 system; 7 positive for influenza A and 50 positive for influenza B by CV system; and 8 positive for influenza A and 60 positive for influenza B by PCR. The sensitivity and specificity of the AG1 system were 87.5 % and 100 % for influenza A, and 88.3 % and 100 % for influenza B; while the CV system showed sensitivity and specficity of 87.5 % and 100 % for influenza A, 83.3 % and 100 % for influenza B. The AG1 system was 100 % consistent with the CV system in the positive rate of influenza A, and 94.3 % consistent with the CV system in the positive rate of influenza B.Conclusions The AG1 system is well consistent with the conventional immunochromatography-based diagnostic tests in diagnosis of influenza. The AG1 system is useful in earlier diagnosis of influenza due to fewer human error in result interpretation.