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Influenza A/B Antigen Screen: NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE

by mike_rogers — last modified November 01, 2009 08:55 PM


UNC Hospitals
McLendon Clinical Laboratories
101 Manning Drive
Chapel Hill, NC 27514

Test screens for both Influenza A and B Antigens: NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE 

   

  •   For the most current clinical information regarding H1N1 and seasonal influenza please see: http://news.intranet.unchealthcare.org/empnews/flu
  •  Rapid antigen testing and viral culture are not available.  The sensitivity of rapid antigen testing for H1N1 is as low as 10%. Point-of-care rapid antigen testing should NOT be used in community practices to diagnose influenza.
  •  When laboratory diagnosis of influenza is necessary, order an influenza virus PCR from a nasopharyngeal swab specimen. 

    NOTE: NASAL SWABS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE AND MAY LEAD TO FALSE NEGATIVE RESULTS.   
    View the video for instruction on proper specimen collection. 
  • Specimens should be collected within 5 days of symptoms.
  •  Testing is currently performed twice/day Monday-Friday and once per weekend.
  •  All influenza A positive specimens from inpatients will be automatically tested for 2009 H1N1.  Other confirmatory testing will only be performed with Hospital Epidemiology approval.
  •  Flocked swabs are the preferred collection device (included in the BD Universal Viral Transport kit) and are available starting Nov. 2 from Central Distribution (Lawson #050750).
  • Specimen collection and swab ordering information here nasopharyngeal swab specimen

  

Test ID FLUAB
Test Number 9149
SMS Browse INFLUENZA A/B RAPID AG
CPT Code(s) 87400
Group/Individual Test Individual
Laboratory Clinical Microbiology; 966-4053
Tube Station 82
SpecimenRoutine:

Nasopharyngeal Aspirate (Preferred Specimen),
NP Washes, or TRUE NP Swab.
NOTE: Nasal and Throat Swabs are of extremely low sensitivity, and will not be accepted by the Laboratory. 

For specimens collected by swab, use synthetic-tipped wire-shafted NP swabs.

See Comments for additional specimen information

   
AvailabilityRoutine:

Once/day Monday-Friday: Not currently available 
Available only when seasonal influenza is present in the community. 
See Comments for additional specimen information

 STAT:Yes
   
Turnaround Time One hour
Reference Range  
   
Comments

 

Guide to Nasopharyngeal Specimen Collection

Off-Campus Sites: Place in VTM(Viral Transport Media) and refrigerate.

For specimens collected by swab, use synthetic-tipped wire-shafted NP swabs.  DO NOT use wooden-shafted, or calcium alginate- or cotton-tipped swabs.

During peak influenza season, this rapid antigen test has ~75% sensitivity. For further testing by influenza real-time RT-PCR or a molecular respiratory viral panel, please contact the Microbiology Laboratory at 966-4053 or process a “specimen in lab add-on” request within 72h of specimen collection.  See Influenza PCR for PCR information. 

For information concerning resistance to Influenza Antiviral Medications, please see the CDC Health Advisory dated 12/19/2008.

For the most current Influenza activity and circulating strain types in North Carolina please visit: North Carolina Communicable Diseases.

Note: False-positive Influenza RNA tests are associated with the administration of FluMist, an intranasally-administered influenza vaccine.  Individuals receiving this vaccine may shed influenza RNA for up to 3-weeks post-vaccination.

For additional information please see Respiratory Viral Group NAA

 

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Influenza A/B Antigen Screen
Test screens for both Influenza A and B Antigen

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