Evaluation of five rapid influenza diagnostic test kits with different chromogenic principles of test line

Abstract

We conducted studies on sensitivity and discrepancies in results among interpreters using five rapid influenza diagnostic test kits with different chromogenic principles, including a kit that used automatic interpretation with a dedicated device. The studies did not show any significant difference in sensitivity among the kits that used visual interpretation. The kit that used automatic interpretation via silver amplification showed significantly higher sensitivity than the kits that used visual interpretation. There were discrepancies in interpretation at the lower detection limit of each visual interpretation kit among interpreters. The automatic interpretation kit requires a dedicated device and cannot measure several specimens simultaneously, but it is considered useful in that it is more sensitive and objective than visual interpretation kits.