Application of Point-of-Care Testing (POCT) in diagnostics of influenza

ABSTRACT

Influenza is a viral disease of the respiratory tract, which affects a relatively large number of people in Slovakia and even around the world every year. The most risk patient groups are the elderly and immunocompromised patients with serious outcomes and increased mortality. Therefore early diagnosis of influenza and subsequent epidemiological management is very important. For this purpose POCT („point-of-care tests“ or „bedside tests“) seems to be very useful for rapid molecular genetic detection of influenza A and B viruses in samples of the patients. Today rapid diagnostic tests for influenza and coronavirus available at emergency departments in all Slovak hospitals are promising way how to be more effective in patient triage and they can minimise number of nosocomial infections due to respiratory virus infections. © 2020 UKSS and NASS