Analytical sensitivity of rapid influenza antigen detection tests for swine-origin influenza virus (H1N1)

Background: A novel swine origin influenza virus (S-OIV) (H1N1) is spreading worldwide and threatens to become pandemic. Objectives: Determine analytical sensitivity of selected commercially available rapid influenza antigen detection tests in detecting S-OIV H1N1. Study design: Serial dilutions of two S-OIV isolates, one seasonal influenza A (H1N1) isolate and a nasopharyngeal aspirate from a patient with S-OIV disease were tested in five commercially available influenza antigen detection tests and by virus isolation in cell culture. Viral M gene copy number was determined by quantitative PCR methods. Results: The analytical sensitivity of the five influenza antigen detection tests for S-OIV (tissue culture infectious dose 50 (TCID50) log(10) 3.3-4.7 was comparable with that of seasonal influenza (TCID50 log(10) 4.0-4.5). Conclusion: The analytical sensitivity of the selected influenza A antigen detection tests for detection of S-IOV was comparable with that of seasonal influenza H1N1. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.