All authors read and approved the final manuscript.”
“Background Influenza A virus is classified into subtypes H1 to H16 and N1 to N9 based on the antigenic specificity of hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). The 16 HA subtypes of the influenza viruses found in aquatic birds act as the carrier (reservoir) of all avian influenza virus A [1]. Only two influenza A subtypes (H1N1 and H3N2) are currently circulating in the human population, while H5 and selleck compound H7 are the most malignant, causing death in avian

species [2]. The emergence of the H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus caused highly contagious and deadly disease outbreaks in poultry in several Asian countries, including China, Indonesia, Cambodia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam [3–5]. Recently, the H5N1 virus has been shown to spread incessantly to many regions all over the world [6]. Most of these outbreaks Protein Tyrosine Kinase were confined to poultry, but the virus was reported to be transmitted to humans in a few countries and most of these cases lead to death in infected human. Despite the comparatively small number of human cases, this situation warrants careful monitoring. Of foremost concern is the risk that conditions in parts of Asia could give rise to an influenza pandemic [7]. As of August 2010, there have been totally 505 cases of confirmed H5N1 LY2874455 infection in humans, resulting in 300 fatalities

[8]. Rapid and sensitive laboratory and field tests for the diagnosis of H5N1 HPAI infection are essential for disease control [9]. Conventional laboratory methods for H5N1 virus detection include virus isolation in embryonated eggs or Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells, followed by subsequent HA and NA subtype identification second using serological methods [10, 11]. Molecular detection methods such as reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) have been widely applied for the laboratory diagnosis of influenza infections and HA subtype identification [12, 13]. However, these methods are technically demanding and time consuming, or requiring high level biosafety facility. Therefore, antigen detection based on serologic methods has repeatedly

shown its value to diagnose various infectious diseases. The development of a panel of broad spectrum H5-specific monoclonal antibodies used in rapid antigen tests allows to differentiate H5 subtype from other HA types in the field. Detection of H5 antigen provides strong evidence of H5 avian influenza virus infection [14]. Monoclonal antibody (Mab) based diagnostic antigen detection tests for H5 AIV have been reported. Monoclonal antibodies are a homogenous population of antibodies, derived from a single antibody-producing cell whereby all antibodies produced are identical and of the same specificity for a given epitope [15]. The specificity of these Mabs responses provides a basis for an effective diagnostic reagent [16].