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. 2016 Mar;10(2):86-90.
doi: 10.1111/irv.12355. Epub 2016 Jan 29.

Survey of influenza and other respiratory viruses diagnostic testing in US hospitals, 2012-2013

Su Su  1   2 , Alicia M Fry  1 , Pam Daily Kirley  3 , Deborah Aragon  4 , Kimberly Yousey-Hindes  5 , James Meek  5 , Kyle Openo  6 , Oluwakemi Oni  7 , Ruta Sharangpani  8 , Craig Morin  9 , Gary Hollick  10 , Krista Lung  11 , Matt Laidler  12 , Mary Lou Lindegren  13 , William Schaffner  13 , Annette Atkinson  14 , Sandra S Chaves  1
Affiliations

Survey of influenza and other respiratory viruses diagnostic testing in US hospitals, 2012-2013

Su Su et al. Influenza Other Respir Viruses. 2016 Mar.

Abstract

Background: Little is known about laboratory capacity to routinely diagnose influenza and other respiratory viruses at clinical laboratories and hospitals.

Aims: We sought to assess diagnostic practices for influenza and other respiratory virus in a survey of hospitals and laboratories participating in the US Influenza Hospitalization Surveillance Network in 2012-2013.

Materials and methods: All hospitals and their associated laboratories participating in the Influenza Hospitalization Surveillance Network (FluSurv-NET) were included in this evaluation. The network covers more than 80 counties in 15 states, CA, CO, CT, GA, MD, MN, NM, NY, OR, TN, IA, MI, OH, RI, and UT, with a catchment population of ~28 million people. We administered a standardized questionnaire to key personnel, including infection control practitioners and laboratory departments, at each hospital through telephone interviews.

Results: Of the 240 participating laboratories, 67% relied only on commercially available rapid influenza diagnostic tests to diagnose influenza. Few reported the availability of molecular diagnostic assays for detection of influenza (26%) and other viral pathogens (≤20%) in hospitals and commercial laboratories.

Conclusion: Reliance on insensitive assays to detect influenza may detract from optimal clinical management of influenza infections in hospitals.

Keywords: EIP; FluSurv-NET; influenza; laboratory capacity; respiratory viruses.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Comparison of types of influenza diagnostic tests performed in clinical laboratories serving hospitals during the 2006–2007 and 2012–2013 influenza season.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Description of influenza testing practices in hospital laboratories, 2012–2013. Note: Hospitals with missing data are excluded. Confirmatory testing could be performed at the hospital laboratory or at public health laboratories. Participating hospital laboratories were asked to send influenza A specimens to state public health laboratories for subtyping. Some network sites asked laboratories to send RIDT‐negative specimens to public health laboratories.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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