A positive result means that the RIDT detected influenza viral antigen, but does not necessarily mean viable influenza virus is present or that the patient is contagious.

How long does influenza antigen stay positive?

All the patients who tested positive by culture also had positive PCR results. The longest period of flu virus shedding shown by any method was 14 days. The researchers found no link between prolonged virus shedding and either antiviral treatment or previous vaccination.

How long do you test positive for influenza?

Samples should be collected within the first 3-4 days of illness. Rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDTs) provide results within approximately 15 minutes; viral culture provides results in 3-10 days.

How do you read influenza test results?

Even a light or faint Test line must be interpreted as a positive result. Negative: Only a reddish purple Control line (C position), with no Test line at the A or B position, indicates that Influenza A or B antigen has not been detected. A negative result does not exclude influenza viral infection.

Is influenza virus positive or negative?

The influenza virus is a negative-sense, single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) virus that is segmented into eight (Subtypes A, B) or seven (Subtype C) separate strands.

What does antigen test positive mean?

A positive test indicates antigen from the COVID-19 virus was detected and you are presumed to be infected. • Positive results on an antigen test are fairly reliable, meaning that the test is generally positive only when the COVID-19 virus is present in your specimen.

Are antigen tests accurate?

Molecular tests are generally more accurate and mostly processed in a laboratory, which takes longer; antigen tests—or “rapid tests”—are processed pretty much anywhere, including at home, in doctors' offices, or in pharmacies. You can get antigen test results in about 15 minutes, but they tend to be less accurate.

Can you get a false positive flu test?

A positive result means that signs of the virus were found and that you may have the flu, especially if other cases of the flu have been reported in your area at the time you are tested. It's possible to get a false-positive result, meaning that you aren't really infected.