How to identify influenza A and B viruses
Disease description:
Hello, doctor. I'd like to ask how doctors determine whether it's influenza A or influenza B virus?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Jiang Weimin
The correct method to identify influenza A and B viruses involves testing the patient's serum samples to detect the presence of IgM and IgG antibodies. IgM antibodies are the first to appear following infection and may persist for several months, while IgG antibodies remain present over the long term and can indicate immunity to a specific virus. Additionally, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) can be used to detect viral RNA in serum or nasopharyngeal secretions, confirming the presence of the virus and revealing its genomic structure. Viral genome analysis helps determine the virus type and differentiate between influenza A and B viruses, aiding in the identification of known mutations and genetic abnormalities. However, in some cases, RT-PCR may fail to detect certain viruses due to viral degradation and/or insufficient viral RNA expression in the patient. Finally, influenza A and B viruses can also be identified using immunofluorescence (IF) techniques or cell culture methods to detect the virus within eukaryotic cells, such as through cell surface antigens.
