Current Approaches for Diagnosis of Influenza Virus Infections in Humans

Abstract

Despite significant advancement in vaccine and virus research, influenza continues to be a major public health concern. Each year in the United States of America, influenza viruses are responsible for seasonal epidemics resulting in over 200,000 hospitalizations and 30,000–50,000 deaths. Accurate and early diagnosis of influenza viral infections are critical for rapid initiation of antiviral therapy to reduce influenza related morbidity and mortality both during seasonal epidemics and pandemics. Several different approaches are currently available for diagnosis of influenza infections in humans. These include viral isolation in cell culture, immunofluorescence assays, nucleic acid amplification tests, immunochromatography-based rapid diagnostic tests, etc. Newer diagnostic approaches are being developed to overcome the limitations associated with some of the conventional detection methods. This review discusses diagnostic approaches currently available for detection of influenza viruses in humans.

Mono- and quadri-subtype virus-like particles (VLPs) containing H10 subtype elicit protective immunity to H10 influenza in a ferret challenge model

“…This is consistent with the relatively low immunogenicity of the H5 subtype and may reflect low sensitivity of detection method for H5N1 subtype virus [4, 30-33]. In contrast, HI titers to rH7, rH9 and rH10 were detectable after a single vaccination in both i.m.…”

Single radial haemolysis compared to haemagglutinin inhibition and microneutralization as a correlate of protection against influenza A H3N2 in children and adolescents

“…We found the SRH assay to be less sensitive than the MN assay but more sensitive than HAI, as 16% of participants had SRH titres below the detection limit, compared to 7% and 34% for the MN and HAI assays, respectively. Previous studies have shown that MN assay in more sensitive than HAI assay . However, we could not find any data that compared SRH and MN in terms of sensitivity.…”

Surface‐Independent and Oriented Immobilization of Antibody via One‐Step Polydopamine/Protein G Coating: Application to Influenza Virus Immunoassay

“…Influenza viruses cause acute respiratory diseases, and influenza epidemics generate enormous costs to society each year . Hence, a number of virus detection techniques have been developed to prevent the spread of diseases and to support the initiation of rapid antiviral therapy . In general, immune reaction–based diagnosis methods, such as enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay and the rapid influenza diagnostic test, have been commercially used for the detection of viruses .…”