Article Text

Download PDFPDF
Sensitivity and specificity of a rapid influenza diagnostic test in children and clinical utility during influenza A (H1N1) 2009 outbreak
  1. F Angoulvant1,2,
  2. X Bellettre1,
  3. N Houhou3,
  4. J B Dexpert1,
  5. L Morin1,
  6. J Y Siriez1,
  7. F Soole4,
  8. A de Lauzanne4,
  9. R Cohen5,
  10. F Brun-Vezinet3,
  11. C Alberti2,
  12. J C Mercier1
  1. 1AP-HP, Hôpital Robert Debré, Pôle de Pédiatrie Aiguë et Médecine Interne, Service d'Accueil des Urgences Pédiatriques, Université Diderot-Paris 7, Paris, France
  2. 2AP-HP, Hôpital Robert Debré, Unité d'épidémiologie clinique, Université Diderot-Paris 7, Unité INSERM CIE5, Paris, France
  3. 3AP-HP, Hôpital Bichat-Claude Bernard, Laboratoire de Virologie, Université Diderot-Paris 7, Paris, France
  4. 4AP-HP, Hôpital Robert Debré, Pôle de Pédiatrie Aiguë et Médecine Interne, Service de Pédiatrie Générale, Université Diderot-Paris 7, Paris, France
  5. 5Centre hospitalier intercommunal, Service de pédiatrie, Créteil, France
  1. Correspondence to Dr François Angoulvant, Service d'Accueil des Urgences Pédiatriques, Hôpital Robert Debré, 48 Boulevard Sérurier, Paris 75019, France; francois.angoulvant{at}rdb.aphp.fr

Abstract

Introduction The influenza A (H1N1) 2009 outbreak caused death and a disruption of public health services. Rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDT) could be helpful to ease the triage of patients and prevent an overload of emergency and laboratory facilities.

Objectives To compare the sensitivity and specificity of the Clearview Exact Influenza A&B test and real-time reverse transcription(RT)–PCR to detect influenza A (H1N1) 2009 in a paediatric emergency department of a paediatric teaching hospital in Paris, France.

Methods 76 children with an influenza-like illness and either severe symptoms or an underlying medical condition were prospectively recruited between July 2009 and October 2009. RIDT and RT–PCR were simultaneously performed and compared.

Results Among 39 influenza A (H1N1) 2009 RT–PCR-positive children (median age 5 years), 23 Clearview Exact Influenza A&B tests were positive. Sensitivity was 59% (95% CI 42.2 to 74) and specificity was 94.6% (95% CI 80.5 to 99.1).

Conclusions This study shows a sensitivity of RIDT of 59%, in agreement with other prospective studies, which could be useful in clinical practice for diagnosis influenza A (H1N1) 2009 in children. In outbreaks of a high prevalence, such as the 2009 outbreak, this test can help to prevent an overload of public health services.

  • Antigen test
  • cardiac care
  • diagnosis
  • diagnostic
  • emergency care systems
  • emergency departments
  • infectious diseases
  • influenza
  • paediatric emergency medicine
  • paediatrics

Statistics from Altmetric.com

Request Permissions

If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.

Footnotes

  • Competing interests None.

  • Patient consent Obtained.

  • Ethics approval This study was conducted with the approval of the Comité d'Evaluation de l'Ethique des projets de Recherche Biomédicale (CEERB) du GHU Nord (institutional review board (no IRB00006477) of Paris North Hospitals, Paris 7 University, AP-HP).

  • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.