Influenza

Influenza is a seasonal disease that occurs annually, usually peaking in winter. It affects 5-10% of adults and 20-30% of children each year.¹ Seasonal illnesses can result in hospitalisation and death mainly among high-risk groups (the very young, elderly or chronically ill).² Worldwide, annual epidemics are estimated to result in 3–5 million cases of severe illness, and 290,000–650,000 deaths.²

Influenza is characterised by sudden onset of symptoms including fever, runny nose, cough, headache and fatigue.³ These symptoms overlap with many upper and lower respiratory infections caused by other bacterial and/or viral pathogens – this makes diagnosis based on symptoms alone challenging for clinicians.⁴

However, the rapid differentiation of influenza A from other influenza-like illnesses (ILIs) is essential for infection control and patient management.

Current diagnostic methods commonly used are point-of-care rapid antigen tests and lab-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests.⁵ Reliable negative Influenza A/B results support clinicians to consider other cases of illness like bacterial pathogens that require antibiotics.

Current immunoassay-based rapid tests for influenza have limited sensitivity and negative test results should be interpreted with caution given the potential for false negative results.⁵

An unmet need exists for tests that can accurately rule in or out influenza quickly, near patients to inform clinical management.⁶

Use of POC testing that can reliably detect viral and/or bacterial pathogens would result in enhanced care, less antibiotic empiricism and, at least in theory, reduced patient and societal cost of illness.⁷

Paediatric studies in particular have shown decreased use of antibiotics and increased use of antivirals when influenza is diagnosed by rapid testing.^8-10