ICT gathered a small panel of experts to share their perspectives on issues relating to rapid diagnostic testing for influenza. Panel participants are:
• Elliot Rank, PhD, director of scientific affairs/medical affairs for BD Diagnostics - Diagnostic Systems
• Catherine Lathem, marketing development manager for Medical Diagnostics for 3M Health Care
• Drew Hoffman, senior marketing manager, Quidel Corp.
ICT: How important is early screening for influenza in the acute-care environment?
Rank: An influenza infection can lead to severe complications and even death. The ability to rapidly detect influenza, as well as differentiate the strain type, enables a clinician to confirm the infection and make a guided decision with regard to treatment, such as antiviral vs. antimicrobial therapy. Effective and timely antiviral therapy may potentially reduce the severity of symptoms or shorten the duration of an influenza infection. For example, patients with influenza A are more likely to respond to an antiviral regimen such as those recommended by the FDA. Alternatively, patients presenting with flu-like symptoms may, in fact, have actually contracted an entirely different infection, such as bacterial pneumonia, which would indicate a different treatment. The early time to result of rapid tests enables clinicians to make earlier, more guided therapeutic decisions. In an acute care environment, screening for influenza may be additionally effective as antiviral therapy is most effective early in the progression of the disease.
Hoffman: We’ve seen six reasons to adopt a point-of-care rapid influenza test. These include:
- Aid in the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment.
- Manage bed assignment.
- Help avoid the use of unnecessary antibiotics.
- Determine local epidemiology.
- Report to surveillance insight to the CDC.
- Reduce downstream diagnostic costs.
Lathem: Early detection is needed for both the management of influenza and to reduce the spread. Early screening helps to identify which patients to isolate or cohort and determine who would be appropriate for antiviral therapy. It also helps to more effectively use antibiotics for non viral respiratory illnesses because signs and symptoms of influenza overlap with signs and symptoms of other respiratory illnesses.
