( y is 97 percent. Quidel Corpora...)Fast, Accurate Influenza A/B Antigen Detection,Health

Quidel Corporation, San Diego, Calif., produces the QuickVue Influenza A+B test, a point-of-care lateral flow immunodiagnostic test designed to detect the presence of the influenza A and B virus in a patient nasal wash or nasal swab sample within 10 minutes. A positive test result is visually detected as a red colored test line. The test has an internal control that will appear as a visually detected blue colored line.

The QuickVue Influenza test technology utilizes the principle of antibody specificity for the influenza virus nucleoprotein (NP) to selectively interact with the influenza A and B viruses. The NP is evolutionarily conserved and not subject to the same year-to-year changes that make it necessary to be vaccinated each year to prevent influenza infection. For this reason the QuickVue test is not adversely affected by the appearance of different influenza strains.

For influenza A, using a nasal wash sample, sensitivity is rated at 77 percent and specificity at 99 percent. Using an NP swab sample, sensitivity is 72 percent and specificity is 96 percent.

For influenza B, nasal wash sample sensitivity is 82 percent and specificity is 99 percent. Using an NP swab sample, sensitivity is 73 percent and specificity is 96 percent.

ZymeTx Inc., Oklahoma City, Okla. manufactures the ZstatFlu Rapid Test for Influenza A and B, the first point-of-care testing platform for the rapid diagnosis of Influenza A and B. It has proven specificity in diagnosing current strains of Influenza A and B, in addition to all of the strains on record for the past 30 years.

ZstatFlu utilizes a throat-swab specimen and employs approximately two minutes of tech time and 20 minutes processing time. It has a three-year shelf life, can be stored at room temperature, and detects all A & B strains with 99 percent specificity.

Several companies manufacture tests that are also considered moderately complex by the Colleg
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