BioPathogenix Digest Vol. 5
BioPathogenix
From Extraction to Results: High-Quality Lab Supplies to Accelerate Your Workflow and Ensure Accuracy Every Time.
As we turn the page from 2023 and look forward to a 2024 new year of scientific discovery, we're thrilled to share the latest edition of the BioPathogenix newsletter. In this January volume, we'll continue to keep you informed about innovative lab supplies and cutting-edge products and services to support your research endeavors.
Influenza (Flu)
Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. There are three main types of influenza viruses: A, B, and C. Influenza A and B viruses are responsible for seasonal flu outbreaks, while influenza C usually causes milder respiratory symptoms. Flu can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. The most common symptoms of flu infection are fever/chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, fatigue (tiredness), some people may have vomiting and diarrhea. It is important to note that not everyone with flu will have a fever. On average, about 8% of the U.S. population gets sick from flu each season.
TABLE: A general overview of the flu seasons in the United States from 2016 to 2021
* The flu season ended abruptly in March 2020, possibly due to COVID-19 pandemic-related interventions such as lockdowns, social distancing, and increased hygiene measures.
The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) recommends annual flu vaccination is one of the most effective ways to protect against the flu. Vaccination is especially important for high-risk groups, such as young children, elderly individuals, pregnant women, and those with underlying health conditions.
It is very difficult to distinguish flu from other viral or bacterial respiratory illnesses based on symptoms alone. There are tests available to diagnose flu, the two main types of tests used for influenza are molecular tests (including polymerase chain reaction or PCR) and rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDTs). PCR is often preferred for its speed and high sensitivity, especially during the early stages of infection. PCR could efficiently detect all types and subtypes of Flu. RIDTs are useful for quick point-of-care testing but may have lower sensitivity compared to PCR.
Influenza Virus Tests
Diagnostic tests available for detection of influenza viruses in respiratory specimens include molecular assays (including rapid molecular assays, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and other nucleic acid amplification tests); and antigen detection tests (including rapid influenza diagnostic tests and immunofluorescence assays). Viral culture is important for public health purposes but does not provide timely results to inform clinical management.
Sensitivity and specificity of any test for influenza viruses in respiratory specimens might vary by the type of testing method and specific test used, the time from illness onset to specimen collection, the quality of the specimen collected, the respiratory source of the specimen, handling and processing of the specimen, and the time from specimen collection to testing.
The post-test probability or predictive values (positive and negative predictive values) of an influenza virus test depend upon the prevalence of circulating seasonal influenza viruses in the patient population, and the specific test characteristics (sensitivity and specificity) compared to a “gold standard” comparison test (molecular assay or viral culture). As with any diagnostic test, results should be evaluated in the context of other clinical and epidemiologic information available to health care providers. Serological testing does not provide timely results to inform clinical management decisions.
Influenza Virus Testing Method
Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) and other molecular assays can identify the presence of influenza viral RNA or nucleic acids in respiratory specimens with very high sensitivity and specificity. Some molecular assays are able to detect and discriminate between infections with influenza A and B viruses; other tests can identify specific seasonal influenza A virus subtypes [A(H1N1) pdm09, or A(H3N2)]. These assays can yield results in approximately 45 minutes to several hours depending upon the assay. Notably, the detection of influenza viral RNA or nucleic acids by these assays does not necessarily indicate detection of viable infectious virus or on-going influenza viral replication. It is important to note that not all assays have been cleared by the FDA for diagnostic use. Some multiplex molecular assays are available that can detect influenza viral nucleic acids and distinguish influenza virus infection from other respiratory pathogens and may also be useful for management of severely immunosuppressed patients, or for use in identifying the cause of an institutional outbreak of respiratory illness. Molecular provides better turnaround time and more accuracy.
Viral culture results do not yield timely results to inform clinical management. Shell-vial tissue culture results may take 1-3 days, while traditional tissue-cell viral culture results may take 3-10 days. However, viral culture allows for extensive antigenic and genetic characterization of influenza viruses. The collection of some respiratory samples for viral culture is essential for for surveillance and antigenic characterization of new seasonal influenza A and B virus strains that may need to be included in the next year’s influenza vaccine.
Serological testing for influenza is not recommended for clinical decision-making. Although offered by some commercial laboratories, serological testing results for antibodies to influenza A or B viruses on a single serum specimen cannot be reliably interpreted. Proper serological testing for diagnosis of influenza requires paired acute and convalescent sera collected 2-3 weeks apart, with reliable testing at a limited number of public health or research laboratories to assess a 4-fold or greater rise in influenza virus strain-specific antibodies. Therefore, serological testing for influenza does not provide timely results to help with clinical decision-making and is not recommended except for research and public health investigations.
Source: Center for Disease Control and Prevention
BPX? Respiratory (RPP)
For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.
Analytes
Bordetella holmesii Catalog No.
Bordetella parapertussis KRPP-96U-100
Bordetella pertussis KRPP-U1-250
Coxiella burnetii KRPP-96Q1-100
Group A Strep KRPP-Q1-250
Group B Strep
Group C & G Strep
Haemophilus influenzae
Haemophilus influenzae B
Human Adenovirus 3
Human Bocavirus
Human Coronavirus 229E
Human Coronavirus HKU1
Human Coronavirus NL63
Human Coronavirus OC43
Human Enterovirus
Human Metapneumovirus A/B
Human Parechovirus
领英推荐
Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus A
Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus B
Human Rhinovirus
Influenza A I
nfluenza A/H1-2009
Influenza A/H3
Influenza B
Influenza C
Klebsiella pneumoniae
mecA
MERS
Moraxella catarrhalis
Mycoplasma pneumoniae
Chlamydia pneumophila
Legionella longbeachae
Legionella pneumophila
Parainfluenza Virus 1
Parainfluenza Virus 2
Parainfluenza Virus 3
Parainfluenza Virus 4
Pneumocystis jirovecii
PVL
Rnase P (Internal Control Gene)
SARS Staphylocuccus aureus
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Van A/B
Catalog #:
KRPP-96U-100
KRPP-U1-250
KRPP-96Q1-100
KRPP-Q1-250
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