Spotlight influenza: Influenza surveillance before and after the introduction of point-of-care testing in Denmark, season 2014/15 to 2018/19.
Euro Surveill
; 26(37)2021 09.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-34533117
ABSTRACT
BackgroundIn Denmark, influenza surveillance is ensured by data capturing from existing population-based registers. Since 2017, point-of-care (POC) testing has been implemented outside the regional clinical microbiology departments (CMD).AimWe aimed to assess influenza laboratory results in view of the introduction of POC testing.MethodsWe retrospectively observed routine surveillance data on national influenza tests before and after the introduction of POC testing as available in the Danish Microbiological Database. Also, we conducted a questionnaire study among Danish CMD about influenza diagnostics.ResultsBetween the seasons 2014/15 and 2018/19, 199,744 influenza tests were performed in Denmark of which 44,161 were positive (22%). After the introduction of POC testing, the overall percentage of positive influenza tests per season did not decrease. The seasonal influenza test incidence was higher in all observed age groups. The number of operating testing platforms placed outside a CMD and with an instrument analytical time ≤ 3â¯h increased after 2017. Regionally, the number of tests registered as POC in the Danish Microbiological Database and the number of tests performed with an instrument analytical time ≤ 3â¯h or outside a CMD partially differed. Where comparable (71% of tests), the relative proportion of POC tests out of all tests increased from season 2017/18 to 2018/19. In both seasons, the percentage of positive POC tests resulted slightly lower than for non-POC tests.ConclusionPOC testing integrated seamlessly into national influenza surveillance. We propose the use of POC results in the routine surveillance of seasonal influenza.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Influenza Humana
Tipo de estudo:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Observational_studies
/
Screening_studies
Limite:
Humans
País/Região como assunto:
Europa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Euro Surveill
Assunto da revista:
DOENCAS TRANSMISSIVEIS
Ano de publicação:
2021
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Dinamarca