Visual Detection and Identification of Influenza A Viruses by Nucleic Acid Probe-Enabled Lateral Flow Assay

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Molecular Diagnostics
• Virology

Background:

• Accurate diagnosis of influenza A is vital for controlling transmission and treatment.
• There is a growing demand for rapid, simple, and precise viral detection methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a nucleic acid probe-enabled lateral flow assay (NALFA) for visual detection of influenza A (H1N1 and H3N2).
• To evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of NALFA using standard viral RNAs and clinical samples.

Main Methods:

• Utilized padlock probes for recognition of viral RNA targets, followed by rolling circle amplification (RCA).
• RCA products were cleaved and complexed with capture DNA probes for a gold colloidal-induced visual lateral flow assay.
• Tested NALFA with standard viral RNAs and clinical samples from H1N1 patients and healthy controls.

Main Results:

• NALFA demonstrated attomolar (aM) sensitivity and high specificity for influenza A viral RNA detection.
• The assay successfully discriminated between infected and non-infected samples in clinical evaluations.
• Achieved high detection accuracy in identifying H1N1 infections.

Conclusions:

• NALFA is a sensitive, specific, and convenient nucleic acid detection assay for influenza A viruses.
• This assay shows potential for widespread application in viral detection and diagnostics.
• NALFA offers a valuable tool for point-of-care diagnostics and public health surveillance.