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    MolDx
    Influenza Diagnostic Tests (M00126)

    To avoid the overuse of antibiotics and the potential risk of antibiotic resistance, point of care providers should test patients prior to prescribing treatment for a bacterial or influenza infection. The following summary provides a list of the main available types of diagnostics tests:

    Rapid Antigen Tests:

    • Available at the point of care
    • Yields a Flu A and Flu B result in < 30 minutes
    • Less sensitive (50-70%) and specific (90-95%) compared to other methods and may require confirmation with another method
    • CDC recommendation:
      • During early winter months, providers should confirm negative rapid flu test results with a more sensitive method, such as viral culture or a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT)
      • Outside of flu season, providers should consider confirming positive rapid flu test results

    Targeted Molecular Methods:

    • Uses transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) or isothermal amplification methods to detect viral nucleic acids
    • Results available in < 24 hours
    • Detects from 1-2 to up to 20 respiratory pathogens from one specimen

    Viral Culture: 

    • Confirms present active infection
    • Results available in 3-10 days
    • Misses opportunity for Tamiflu treatment for positive patients 

    Test Selection:
    During flu season and following preliminary patient examination and assessment of risk factors, providers should consider a targeted diagnostic evaluation to rule out influenza before ordering a larger respiratory virus panel, particularly if there is a high likelihood that the patient has flu (or RSV).

     

    last updated on 02/13/2018
    ver 1.0.51