Now offering 10 minute FLU A + B Testing!
Influenza illness classically presents with sudden onset of fever, chills, headache, myalgias, and a non-productive cough. Epidemics of influenza typically occur during winter months with estimated 114,000 hospitalizations and 36,000 deaths per year in the U.S.
Influenza viruses can also cause pandemics, during which rates of illness and death from influenza-related complications can increase dramatically. Patients who present with suspected influenza may benefit from treatment with an antiviral agent especially if given within the first 48 hours of onset of illness. It is important to rapidly distinguish influenza A from influenza B in order to allow physicians a choice in selective antiviral intervention. Moreover, it is important to determine if influenza A or B is causing symptomatic disease in a particular institution (e.g., nursing home) or community, so that appropriate preventative intervention can be taken for susceptible individuals. It is therefore important to not only rapidly determine whether influenza is present, but also which type of influenza virus is present as severity and treatment can be different.
What type of testing is offered by Rancho Pharmacy?
Rancho Pharmacy uses a 10 minute testing kit developed by BD. The system is called BD Veritor System for Rapid Detection of Flu A+B. The test is FDA-Cleared Rapid Influenza Diagnostic Test (Antigen Detection Only).
The BD Veritor System for Rapid Detection of Flu A+B (also referred to as the BD Veritor System and BD Veritor System Flu A+B) is a digital immunoassay (DIA) to qualitatively detect influenza A or B nucleoprotein antigens from respiratory specimens of symptomatic patients with a time to result of 10 minutes. The test is qualitative and not quantitative, meaning it can only indicate if influenza A or B is present in the sample collected, but not how much influenza is present.
What may cause a false positive?
Per the manufacturer FluMist® is made from attenuated live flu virus and although the concentration tested (1%) was non-interfering, it is possible when tested with higher concentrations that an influenza A and/or influenza B false positive may occur.
What happens if I receive a positive test?
Regardless if you receive a positive or negative test it is highly recommended to call your physician to receive an evaluation. The pharmacy will provide you with your results and if asked by the patient or legal guardian may offer to call the physician if a medication may be warranted. Tamiflu is a medication that is indicated for influenza for the treatment of acute, uncomplicated illness due to influenza A and B infection in patients 2 weeks of age or older who have been symptomatic for no more than 48 hours. Tamiflu is indicated for prophylaxis of influenza A and B in patients 1 year and older.