Application of Fluorescent Antibody Technique to the Diagnosis of Influenza

Abstract

Fity-eight patients with influenza-like disease were studied during the threeyears from 1978 to 1980. Throat washings, blood (in the acute and convalescent periods), and theepithelial cells of the nasal mucosa were collected from each patient. Attempts were made to detect influenza virus-specific antigens by the fluorescent antibody technique (FAT), in addition to the ordinary for isolating virus and the hemagglutination inhibition (HI) test.
The results are as follows:(1) Despite the HI test antibody value was 1: 64 in the acute period, influenza virus-specific antigen was detected in 71.4% of patients in whom itwas difficult to isolate influenza virus;(2) The positive rate was 58.6% for FAT, 65.5% for the ordinary virus isolation method and 71.4% for the HI test. A combination of the two methods resulted in an increase in the diagnositc rate, that is, 83%;(3) The use of FAT was suggested as a rapid method for early diagnosis of influenza; and (4) Specific fluorescence of the epithlial cells of the nasal mucosa tended to vary with only the nucleus, with the nucleus and the protoplasm, and with only the protoplasm, and the period.