Key result
The QuickVue Influenza A+B Rapid Test demonstrated a low sensitivity of 26% and a high specificity of 98% for detecting pandemic H1N1 (2009) virus infection compared to RT-PCR.
Why the study?
Does the QuickVue Influenza A+B rapid test accurately diagnose pandemic H1N1 (2009) virus infection compared to RT-PCR in adults?
Observational (n=209)
No
Does the QuickVue Influenza A+B rapid test accurately diagnose pandemic H1N1 (2009) virus infection compared to RT-PCR in adults?
The QuickVue rapid test has high specificity but low sensitivity for pandemic H1N1 (2009) in adults, meaning negative results require PCR verification.
Low sensitivity cautions against relying on negative rapid test to exclude H1N1; leaves open need for RT-PCR validation in adults.
To investigate the diagnostic accuracy of the QuickVue® Influenza A+B rapid test we conducted a prospective observational study in which this rapid test was compared with a real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for pandemic influenza A H1N1 (2009) infection in Austrian adults. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the QuickVue test compared with the RT-PCR were 26% (95% CI 18-35), 98% (95% CI 92-100), 94% (95% CI 80-99) and 50% (95% CI 42-58), respectively. The prevalence of pandemic H1N1 (2009) virus infection among the 209 patients included in the study was 57%. Our data suggest that a positive QuickVue test provides considerable information for the diagnosis of pandemic influenza A H1N1 (2009) virus infection in young adults but that a negative QuickVue test result should, if relevant for patient management or public health measures, be verified using PCR.
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Poeppl et al. (2011) conducted an observational in Pandemic influenza A H1N1 (2009) virus infection (n=209). QuickVue Influenza A+B Rapid Test vs. Real-time RT-PCR was evaluated on Sensitivity for detecting pandemic H1N1 (2009) virus infection (95% CI 18-35). The QuickVue Influenza A+B Rapid Test demonstrated a low sensitivity of 26% and a high specificity of 98% for detecting pandemic H1N1 (2009) virus infection compared to RT-PCR.
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