EIAgen Influenza A IgA

analyte

Influenza

brief description

Influenza is an acute viral disease of the respiratory tract which occurs in epidemics in Winter and early Spring. Typical symptoms are fever, malaise, coughs, headache and myalgia (muscle pain) occurring after a short incubation period of 1-3 days. Complications may occur mainly in elderly people in the form of a secondary bacterial pneumonia which can be life-threatening. Transmission is by droplet infection. The etiological agents of influenza are the Orthomyxoviruses of which 3 types, A, B and C exist. The viral envelope contains two important glycoproteins, Haemagglutatinin (H) and Neuraminidase (NA). The Haemagglutinin antigen is most often subject to genetic change (antigen drift, antigen shift). Thus anti-influenza antibodies from previous infections cannot neutralise the new influenza strains. Epidemics of influenza A occur at intervals of 2-5 years, pandemics every 10-15 years. Type B infections remain generally localised, and Type C infections are rare and generally mild. Early vaccination (from September) can prevent or reduce the effects of influenza infection. The antiviral drugs amantadine and its analogue rimantadine are effective treatment during the first 24-48 hours after onset of the influenza infection.

intended use

Enzyme immunoassay (EIA) kit for the qualitative determination of Antibodies to Influenza A or B in human serum.