A cheap, easy paper strip test can be used to diagnose flu The test also can identify the type of flu a person has The test was created from technology first used to identify COVID-19 TUESDAY, June 25, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- A simple and inexpensive paper strip test could help diagnose a case of the flu, and even identify the influenza strain that caused it, a new study finds. The test can distinguish between A and B -- the two main types of seasonal flu -- as well as identifying more virulent strains like H1N1 and H3N2, according to results published in the July issue of the The goal is to create a fast, accurate and cheap test that can improve outbreak response and infection care around the world, researchers said. “Ultimately, we hope these tests will be as simple as rapid antigen tests” used to test for COVID, said co-senior researcher , an assistant professor at Princeton University in New Jersey.
The test uses genetically engineered enzymes to identify specific sequences of viral RNA in samples, researchers said. The technology was first used to test for the COVID coronavirus, and later to distinguish between the Delta and Omicron variants, researchers said. In 2022, the team began adapting the test to detect the influenza virus, with the aim of creating a screening tool that could be used in the field or in clinics rather than hospitals or high-tech diagnostic labs.
“Using a paper strip readout instead of expensive fluorescence machinery is a big advancement, n.