Influence of Molecular Testing on Influenza Diagnosis

Influenza viruses affect millions of people each year, leading to several hundred thousand hospitalizations and thousands of deaths annually in the U.S. Early antiviral therapy reduces the duration of illness, complications and mortality associated with the flu, yet antivirals are often underutilized. However, patients with a positive influenza diagnostic test results are more likely to receive appropriate antiviral therapy and less likely to be prescribed unnecessary antibiotics. Access to reliable influenza testing is critical to facilitate both optimal patient outcomes and antimicrobial stewardship. Recently, the first point-of-care molecular diagnostic test was cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for detection of the flu. At the same time, concerns about the performance of commonly used rapid antigen tests have surfaced. The landscape of influenza diagnostics is rapidly evolving and clinical laboratories are certain to face pressure regarding new testing modalities. A Q&A feature in the November 2018 issue of Clinical Chemistry asked five experts with different roles in this field to discuss recent advances and ongoing challenges in influenza diagnostics.