Swine Flu Rapid Test Not Always Accurate
Three major, commercially available, rapid test kits for the swine flu accurately identified only 40% to 69% of 45 clinical specimens known to contain the H1N1 flu strain, according to the CDC. However, there was an 89% accuracy if a tested specimen had a high level of the virus. But as the level of virus in the specimens fell, the accuracy of the tests declined, the CDC reported in the Aug. 7 issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Viral titers are highest in the first 3 days of illness.
These rapid tests are widely used and only require 15 minutes to deliver a result, but a negative result is not always accurate. A positive result, on the other hand, is more reliable and can be very helpful.
Source: CDC, “Evaluation of rapid influenza diagnostic tests for detection of novel influenza A (H1N1) virus — United States, 2009″ MMWR 2009; 58: 826-29.
Source: “Rapid Tests Miss Mark for Pandemic H1N1 Flu”, MedPage Today, August 6, 2009
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