Les tests de diagnostic rapide des viroses respiratoires et des gastroentérites virales: intérêts et limites

Rapid diagnostic tests (RDT), based on immunochromatography, are widely used for the diagnosis of infectious diseases. For viral respiratory infections, RDT target infections by influenza viruses or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). For diagnosis of gastroenteritis, RDT can be used for the detection of rotavirus, adenovirus, norovirus or astrovirus. RDT for RSV or gastroenteritis are mainly used in a pediatric context. RDT generally present a high specificity, however their sensitivity is only modest by comparison with molecular technics. Consequently, RDT are essentially considered as screening tests, and their negativity does not allow to exclude the diagnostic of respiratory or gastrointestinal viral infection.