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. 2017 Aug 8:3:22.
doi: 10.1186/s40780-017-0091-x. eCollection 2017.

The detection of influenza virus at the community pharmacy to improve the management of local residents with influenza or influenza-like disease

Akio Kawachi  1 , Yusuke Sakamoto  1 , Shunya Mouri  2 , Mitsuaki Fukumori  2 , Riku Kawano  2 , Takaya Murakami  3 , Junichiro Sonoda  1 , Keiko Narumi  1 , Yoshihiro Shimodozono  1 , Kenji Etoh  4 , Susumu Chiyotanda  5 , Takashi Furuie  6 , Keizo Sato  1 , Masao Fukumori  2 , Toshiro Motoya  1
Affiliations

The detection of influenza virus at the community pharmacy to improve the management of local residents with influenza or influenza-like disease

Akio Kawachi et al. J Pharm Health Care Sci. .

Abstract

Background: As of 2014, community pharmacies in Japan are approved by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare to measure lipid panel, HbA1c, glucose, ALT, AST and γ-GTP, but not to screen for influenza virus. We provided influenza virus screening tests at a community pharmacy to triage people with symptoms suggestive of influenza. Participants were given appropriate advice on how to prevent the spread of and safeguard against influenza. We subsequently evaluated the effects of community pharmacy-based influenza virus screening and prevention measures.

Methods: Local residents with symptoms suggestive of influenza participated in this study. Influenza virus screening tests using nasal samples were provided to the pharmacy, and we assessed samples for the presence of influenza virus. The study consisted of a preliminary interview, informed consent, and screening test on Day 1, and mail-in survey on Day 14.

Results: A total 52 local residents participated in the study. The number of participants and influenza virus positive results followed the same trend as the influenza epidemic in the study area. Influenza virus was found in 28.8% of samples. There was no significant difference between the appearance ratios of subjective symptoms among influenza-positive and influenza-negative groups. The percentages of participants who were first screened at the pharmacy, and those who were first screened at a clinic and then tested again at the pharmacy, were 71.2% (37/52) and 28.8% (15/52), respectively. In the latter group, 14 of 15 were negative by screening at the clinic, and one was diagnosed with influenza without testing. Subsequently, 46.8% (7/15) of participants tested positive for influenza by pharmacy-based screening. According to the mail-in survey, all influenza-positive (100%, 7/7) and 35.3% (6/17) of influenza-negative participants visited the clinic after being tested at the community pharmacy; test results between the community pharmacy and clinic were consistent. A total 64.7% (11/17) of symptomatic participants who tested negative recovered spontaneously at home.

Conclusions: Implementation of influenza virus screening followed by provision of appropriate advice for both influenza-positive and influenza-negative participants at the community pharmacy showed a significant effect on improving the health of the local community.

Keywords: Community pharmacy; Influenza; Pharmacist; Point-of-care testing.

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Conflict of interest statement

Ethics approval and consent to participate

This study was approved by the ethics committee of Kyushu University of Health and Welfare (No.15–026).

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Schematic of community pharmacy-based influenza virus screening
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Sample reporting chart of influenza virus screening test result
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Results of influenza virus screening at community pharmacy. The number of participants (open bars) and number of influenza-positive participants (solid bars) were shown along with the epidemic status of healthcare center precincts in Hyuga City. All positive participants had type B influenza
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Appearance ratios of subjective symptoms in influenza-positive and negative groups
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Profile of the participant disposition
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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