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. 2009 Jan 7;47(3):527–532. doi: 10.1128/JCM.01213-08

TABLE 3.

Comparison of reports of the accuracy the BD Directigen A+B antigen immunoassay

Reference Yr Influenza A virus
Influenza B virus
Age when tested No. of samples No. influenza A virus antigen positive No. influenza B virus antigen positive Specimena Reference test(s)
% Sensitivity % Specificity % Sensitivity % Specificity
8 2002 96.0 99.6 87.5 96.8 <2 yr to adultb 250 24 28 NPA Culture, PCRc
37 2002 82.9 100.0 51.5 100.0 Not availabled 160 34 17 NPA, TSd Shell vial
11 2003 82.4 100.0 70.0 99.6 Not available 155 14 7 Not available Shell vial, DFA
38 2003 86.7 97.7 86.3 97.8 1 day to 31 yre 200 13 44 NPA Culture
25 2004 61.3 100.0 50.0 100.0 Not availablef 77 19 14 NPA, NPSg Culture, DFAg
7 2004 43.0 99.8 44.8 99.9 Mean, 3.2 yrh 4,092 49 47 NWi Culture
35 2007 41.0 98.0 50.0 99.0 Median, 44 yrj 118 15 3 NPS Culture
39 2007 53.0 99.7 33.0 100.0 Median, 34 yr 354 38 2 NPW, TS, NW Culture
This study 2008 61.4 99.2 42.9 100.0 Median, 1.8 yrk 180 27 3 NPA, NPS Culture, PCR
a

NPA is nasopharyngeal aspirate, TS is throat swab, NPS is nasopharyngeal swab, and NW is nasal wash.

b

80% of specimens from persons <6 years old.

c

PCR used for specimens that were culture negative but positive by antigen immunoassay or direct immunofluorescence antigen microscopy.

d

Nasopharyngeal aspirates from pediatric patients (62.2% of positives) and throat swabs from adults (37.8% of positives).

e

36.5% of the specimens were from pediatric patients.

f

56.2% of the specimens were from pediatric patients.

g

Specimens for antigen testing and culture were initially frozen.

h

2% of the patients were >18 years old.

i

98% nasal wash, 0.22% nasopharyngeal swab, 1.7% tracheal aspirate, 0.17% bronchoalveolar lavage, 0.1% sinus wash, and 0.06% sputum samples.

j

Overall estimate with combined specimens for antigen testing and DFA.

k

Data are from this study (the mean and median ages of influenza virus-positive patients were 42.7 and 42.4 years, respectively), where 33 of 50 samples were influenza A virus positive, 3 of 6 samples were influenza B virus positive, and 10 of 38 nasopharyngeal swab samples were influenza virus positive.