C. Magnard et al., Comparison of two nested PCR, cell culture, and antigen detection for the diagnosis of upper respiratory tract infections due to influenza viruses, J MED VIROL, 59(2), 1999, pp. 215-220
Influenza surveillance requires sensitive and rapid diagnostic methods. Dif
ferent diagnostic procedures have been evaluated on a selected set of nasal
swabs sample collected from patients presenting with acute respiratory inf
ection. One hundred fifty-four samples collected during the peak of the inf
luenza epidemic recorded during winter of 1997-1998 in the south of France
were processed for influenza detection using antigen detection (ELISA-immun
ocapture assay), two different nested RT-PCR assays (targeting M and HA gen
es), and cell culture. Among 154 samples, 93 (60.4%) were positive for infl
uenza detection. Forty specimens (26%) were positive by ELISA, 77 (50%) by
culture, 88 (57.1%) using the multiplex HA-PCR and 76 (49.4%) using the M-P
CR. Multiplex HA-PCR was thus the most sensitive test. The PCR assay offers
an alternative to culture for influenza detection. Nevertheless, culture i
s efficient for influenza diagnosis and is the only technique that allows t
he reference centres to collect viral strains and characterise fully new va
riants. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.