Indirect immunoenzyme assay to test IgG and/or IgM antibodies against influenza A virus in human serum. 96 tests.
INTRODUCTION:
Characteristic symptoms of influenza in adults are: high fever, headache, photophobia, sore throat, cough, malaise and myalgia. Fever usually lasts for three days, while cough persists for longer. Sometimes, it causes croup in children. Elderly patients suffering from chronic bronchopathy often present tracheobronchitis and bronchiolitis. Diffuse haemorrhagic viral pneumonia may develop in patients with a cardiovascular disease. Myositis and myoglobinuria have been described associated to influenza. Infants can present severe respiratory infection together with convulsions and encephalitis. Uncommon complications are: otitis media, myocarditis, toxic shock syndrome and Reye syndrome associated to aspirine ingestion. Infections by influenza virus is also associated with kidney or bone marrow transplanted patients. Isolated cases out of the epidemic season are difficult to diagnose clinically. It is also difficult to reach a clinical diagnosis during epidemics, since it can be confused with other respiratory diseases. Hence, the laboratory diagnosis is highly useful, particulary in high risk patients. Complement fixation, ELISA and IFA are the most useful technics to diagnosis the disease.
