What are the Different Kinds of Influenza Tests?

The influenza virus is responsible for the illness commonly referred to as the flu. There are a number of types of influenza tests, including rapid diagnostic tests, direct fluorescent antibody stains, and viral cultures. In recent years, home influenza test kits have also become available to the general public. Testing for influenza is often used by doctors to ensure the proper treatment, and is also often used to determine what type or subtype of influenza is affecting an area.

Flu can cause a number of symptoms, including fever, chills, sinus and respiratory problems, and nausea. Type A influenza is considered to be the most common, as well as the most dangerous. Types B and C are considered less severe.

Rapid influenza diagnostic testing is one of the more routine influenza tests. There are several types of these tests, and they can usually detect Type A and B influenza. Since these tests generally take less than a half hour to complete, they are usually done in the physician's office using a nasal swab while the patient waits. Although they provide fast results, these types of influenza tests aren't considered as accurate as other tests.

A direct fluorescent antibody stain test is a little more accurate than rapid diagnostic testing, but it requires some specialized equipment that can be a bit difficult to read. This type of test can also detect both Type A and B influenza, and it can differentiate between the two. These types of influenza tests also involve taking a nasal swab, but it may need to be sent away to a laboratory. Results from this test may take up to a day or two.

A virus culture test, although it takes the longest, is considered to be the most accurate of all influenza tests. In addition to telling the difference between Type A influenza and Type B influenza, it can also identify specific strains, such as avian flu. To perform this test, a nasal swab is needed, and used to grow a culture in a laboratory. This often takes several days, but within a week to ten days, the type and strain of flu is usually easily identified. A virus culture is typically the most costly, and it is often done to confirm other tests or to identify a certain strain of flu that is affecting a community or other geographic location.

Home influenza tests can be purchased online and sometimes in some pharmacies. These types of tests are often approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration, and they are considered to be somewhat accurate if all instructions are followed closely. Most home influenza kits involve mixing a sample of a person's nasal secretions with a solution. A test strip is then dipped into the mixture that will change color if the influenza virus is detected.