J Clin Microbiol. Pitfalls in the Diagnosis of Pandemic (Novel) A/H1N1 2009 Influenza.

[Giuseppe]

Pitfalls in the Diagnosis of Pandemic (Novel) A/H1N1 2009 Influenza. (J Clin Microbiol., abstract, edited)

4. J Clin Microbiol. 2010 Feb 17. [Epub ahead of print]

Pitfalls in the Diagnosis of Pandemic (Novel) A/H1N1 2009 Influenza.

Singh K, Vasoo S, Stevens J, Schreckenberger P, Trenholme G. - Rush University Medical Center, 1653 W Congress Parkway, Chicago, IL 60612; Loyola Medical Center, 2160 S First Avenue, Maywood, IL 60153.

We report on 3 patients with negative RT-PCR for Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 using nasopharyngeal swabs but positive RT-PCR on bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). Patients with an influenza-like illness and severe pneumonia with negative influenza RT-PCR on nasopharyngeal swabs should undergo further testing of specimens from the lower respiratory tract.

PMID: 20164266 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
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[kent nickell]

Re: J Clin Microbiol. Pitfalls in the Diagnosis of Pandemic (Novel) A/H1N1 2009 Influenza.

bumped for emphasis...

This article describes 3 patients in Chicago with severe H1N1 disease who had negative nasopharyngeal swab testing using sophisticated tests but that were positive for the virus with lower respiratory tract testing....

http://jcm.asm.org/cgi/reprint/JCM.02483-09v1.pdf

Pitfalls in the Diagnosis of Pandemic (Novel) A/1 H1N1 2009 Influenza

These findings suggest that patients with an influenza-like illness and pneumonia with negative nasal aspirate or swab RT-PCR and no other explanation for their illness should undergo lower respiratory tract sampling for influenza RT-PCR. Establishing the diagnosis of influenza in hospitalized patients is important both for treatment and infection control purposes and may reduce orders for further diagnostic tests.