Look past the standard suspects
With a standard testing strategy, clinicians want to decide on which respiratory pathogen to check for. COVID-19 testing could also be a primary alternative, adopted by influenza. If these exams are adverse, further testing could also be required—and at this level, the fee and time concerned with serial testing begins so as to add up.
Whereas COVID-19 and influenza could also be high of thoughts (relying on the season), different respiratory pathogens could be critical as effectively. For instance, yearly respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) results in 58,000 hospitalizations for kids youthful than 5 and 177,000 hospitalizations for adults 65 and older.1
Adenovirus is one other regarding respiratory pathogen. The CDC lately launched a well being advisory encouraging clinicians who see pediatric sufferers experiencing acute hepatitis of unknown etiology to contemplate testing for adenovirus. This comes because the CDC has recognized a cluster of youngsters who had hepatitis, some testing optimistic for adenovirus.2
On high of all that, whereas BioFire® Syndromic Developments confirmed a lower in all viral respiratory pathogens within the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, pathogens like RSV, human rhinovirus/enterovirus, and parainfluenza are once more displaying a major share of optimistic detections.3,4 Diagnostics that solely check for COVID-19 or influenza could miss these vital detections.
Even when the trigger is COVID-19 or influenza, speedy exams have decrease sensitivity in contrast with PCR testing. For that motive, the FDA recommends follow-up molecular testing for individuals who check adverse for COVID-19 however are suspected of getting COVID-19 on account of experiencing signs or having current publicity.5 Comply with-up testing can add time and expense to the diagnostic journey.
