The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued new guidance urging labs to determine within 24 hours if hospitalized patients with flu symptoms have seasonal influenza or bird flu (H5N1). This quicker turnaround time aims to identify potential bird flu cases earlier and track its spread more effectively. Currently, many hospitals send flu samples for testing in bulk every few days, delaying results and potentially compromising contact tracing and preventative measures.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday urged labs nationwide to determine within 24 hours of admission whether people hospitalized with the flu have seasonal influenza or are infected with the to do this type of testing has been in place since last fall, but the process has been slow, with many hospitals sending flu samples out for testing in bulk every few days.
“The system right now tells us what has already happened. What we need is to shift to a system that tells us what’s happening in the moment,” Shah said.The new guidance only applies to patients with influenza A. The bird flu, H5N1, is a subtype of flu A. However, nearly all seasonal flu going around right now is also flu A, particularly the H3N2 and H1N1 subtypes.
“It’s a move in the right direction,” said Dr. Alex Greninger, a professor of laboratory medicine and pathology at University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle. “It will help illuminate the current landscape of disease, and potentially pave the way for the identification of any human-human transmission that may be occurring.”
BIRD FLU H5N1 INFLUENZA CDC TESTING
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