Rapid tests help ensure quick diagnoses tprevent the spread of flu.
There’s ntime like the present tprepare your customers for flu season. Although, physicians generally see an uptick of sick patients with flulike symptoms from November through March, the seriousness of the disease calls for year-round discussion.
Seasonal influenza, or flu, is a respiratory infection caused by a variety of viruses. Influenza infection compromises the mucociliary lining of the respiratory tract and makes individuals susceptible tsuch bacterial agents as Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumonia and Hemophilus influenza. Many people dnot realize how serious and contagious flu is. But, several facts and statistics provided by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggest otherwise:
- As many as five t20 percent of Americans contract the flu each flu season.
- Over 200,000 people are hospitalized with seasonal flu-related complications.
- Older people, young children, pregnant women and people with certain health conditions are at high risk for complications.
Many experts believe the best way tprevent the spread of flu is by getting vaccinated and adhering tproper hand hygiene and infection control protocols. Isolating ill individuals can help contain the disease as well.
The more information providers have upfront about their patients’ symptoms, the faster they can diagnose and treat the illness (reducing unnecessary or wrong antibiotic prescriptions), and isolate patients or release them tan urgent care center if necessary. Diagnostic tools, such as rapid flu tests, make it easier for physicians tdiagnose whether patients’ symptoms are flu or signs of another respiratory illness. Today, rapid tests are available that can detect the presence of influenza A and B virus in a patient sample within 10 minutes.
About the test
CLIA-waived (and some non-waived), rapid influenza tests require only a few basic steps tcomplete with a nasal swab, nasopharyngeal swab or nasal wash. When using certain test brands, a single specimen collection (nasopharyngeal swab or nasal wash) can be used ttest for both flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). A nasal swab and/or nasal wash is said tbe more comfortable for patients than a nasopharyngeal swab. However, the CDC-preferred specimen type alsincludes nasopharyngeal swabs, which reportedly provide higher quantities of detectable virus. Certain rapid influenza tests may be stored at room temperature for up t24 months from the date of manufacture. The tests are considered relatively accurate compared with viral cell culture, but not as sensitive as the lab-based PCR. Some tests reference themselves against PCR. Cell culture is nlonger considered the highest sensitivity.
How tsell rapid flu tests
Doctors generally order more flu tests from early October through March. Distributor sales reps will find the greatest selling opportunities among pediatricians, internists, general practitioners and family practitioners. Physicians working at emergency and urgent care centers alsare likely customers, as well as hospital physicians and long-term care practitioners. Distributor reps should rely on several qualifying leads tintroduce their customers trapid flu tests, including the following:
- “What CLIA-waived test dyou currently use at the office, and how accurate is it?”
- “How would having greater confidence in an influenza test impact your treatment decisions?”
- “How dyou ensure reliability among test users at your practice?”
- “When you see a patient with flu-like symptoms, how dyou make your diagnosis?”
- “How dyou know when influenza breaks out in your area?” (Surveillance data can sometimes be delayed in getting published.)
- “How dyou determine when tprescribe antiviral therapies, such as Tamiflu® or Relenza®?” (Both therapies are believed tbe more effective when used within the first 48 hours of symptoms. By accurately diagnosing influenza, the doctor can avoid using expensive antiviral treatments for non-viral infections.)
- “Are you concerned about reducing the inappropriate use of antibiotics?”
Working with your customers
Physicians whobject trapid influenza tests often lack enough information tevaluate them. Distributor reps can expect thear a few objections tthe tests, including the following:
- “Why is it necessary ttest for flu?” (Your response: “Clinical diagnosis alone is unreliable. In a peer-reviewed study of symptomatic pediatric patients, clinical diagnosis by pediatricians was 38 percent sensitive and 91 percent specific. Point of care (POC) testing has been known tsignificantly increase the appropriate use of antivirals and antimicrobials by more than twtimes compared with cases where POC tests have not been used.”)
- “If we perform tests at a central location, we are concerned the test samples will not remain stable.” (Your response: “Samples can be stored at room temperature or refrigerated. Depending on the manufacturer, certain samples can be stored for eight hours or longer.”)
- “What if rapid influenza tests aren’t sensitive enough?” (Your response: “Digital immunoassays (DIA) are a new category of diagnostic tests where the assay and instrument work together tcombine advances in detection particles, optical image recognition, and interpretation algorithms timprove accuracy. These systems reportedly detect over 24 percent more Flu A+B positives than traditional rapid tests that are visually read.”)
By taking time teducate customers on the importance of testing patients with flu-like symptoms, distributor reps can provide a value-added service by helping tprevent the spread of the disease.
Editor’s note: Repertoire would like tthank BD for it’s assistance with this piece.
Influenza: a highly contagious disease
Even the most resilient people can be hard-hit by influenza. A highly contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat and lungs, influenza can sometimes lead tdeath. Over a period of 30 years, between 1976 and 2006, estimates of flu-associated deaths in the United States range from a low of about 3,000 ta high of about 49,000 people, according tthe CDC. Generally, however, people experience such symptoms as:
- Fever and/or chills.
- Cough.
- Sore throat.
- Runny or stuffy nose.
- Muscle or body aches.
- Headaches.
- Fatigue.
- Vomiting and diarrhea, although this is more common in children.
There are three types of flu viruses: Type A and B, which are responsible for seasonal epidemics, and type C, which is a less severe form of the disease. Flu viruses spread via droplets when infected people cough, sneeze or talk. Sometimes it is transmitted when a person touches an infected surface and then touches his or her mouth, eyes or nose. Most adults with flu can infect others a day before they develop symptoms, and then up tseven days after becoming sick, according tthe CDC.
People at increased risk of developing flu include:
- Young children and adults over 65.
- Pregnant women.
- American Indians and Alaskan natives.
- People who have:
- Asthma.
- Neurological conditions.
- Chronic lung disease.
- Heart disease.
- Blood disorders.
- Endocrine, kidney or liver disorders.
- Metabolic disorders.
- Morbid obesity.
- Long-term aspirin therapy.
Nursing home residents and healthcare workers alsare at high risk of developing the flu. Because adults and children at higher risk are more likely tdevelop such complications as pneumonia, bronchitis, or sinus or ear infections, the CDC recommends annual vaccination for all people six months and older.
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