ABSTRACT
Introduction: During the 2021/22 influenza season, media outlets reported on potential influenza A/B and CoVid-19 coinfection, termed 'flu-rona'. National guidelines (Management of CAP in Adults, BTS, 2009) suggest patients admitted with respiratory infection should undergo respiratory viral PCR (rvPCR) swabbing, severity dependent. We assessed: (1) UK teaching hospital seasonal rvPCR swab data for flu-rona (2) rvPCR swabbing behaviour in respiratory inpatients. Method(s): (1) Collect data on all rvPCR swabs [Panther Analyser] from 1/12/21 for 6 weeks with indication & CoVid swab result within 7 days of rvPCR. (2) Assess rvPCR swabbing in respiratory ward admissions from 1/1/22 for 4 weeks. Result(s): (1) 234 patients underwent rvPCR testing, with none positive for influenza A/B. n=23 were positive for any virus. Haematology-oncology swabbed 136 patients (as per protocol). Of the remainder (n=98), 22.4% (n=22) had respiratory symptoms (RSx) - with one positive rvPCR swab. 10/98 were CoVid positive on concurrent testing, of whom 7 had RSx. (2) 117 patients were admitted to the respiratory ward, of whom 73 had RSx;of these n=53 CoVid positive with only 1 (2%) undergoing rvPCR swab, and 20 CoVid negative with only 2 (10%) undergoing rvPCR swabs (see table) Conclusion(s): We found no flu-rona and low rates of rvPCR swabbing in those with RSx despite national guidelines. While these data suggest rates of flu-rona are likely low, they highlight dangers of diagnostic blindness in the age of CoVid-19 and possible nihilistic beliefs regarding rvPCR testing in general.