The importance of Influenza and SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) co-testing
As the 2020 flu season collides with the COVID-19 pandemic, accurate diagnosis has the potential to be more challenging than ever. Since most symptoms of influenza and COVID-19 overlap (ie, fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, sore throat, runny/stuffy nose, muscle pain and aches, headaches, and possible vomiting and diarrhea), attempting to differentially diagnose and treat patients could be complex.
During widespread circulation of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza, clinicians should consider testing patients with compatible symptoms for both viruses, according to the CDC.1 Quest recently released new respiratory test panels, including the Roche Cobas® high-throughput multiplex influenza A and B, and SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) molecular panel (Test Code 31688*) to help differentially diagnose the pathogens responsible for a patient’s respiratory infection using a single specimen. Availability of this multiplex panel to distinguish between influenza A and B and SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) offers the advantages of:
- Expediting time to diagnosis using high-throughput specimen processing performed on a single specimen
- Helping healthcare providers to manage an effective treatment plan and implement a patient quarantine protocol, if necessary
- Potentially minimizing patient discomfort associated with specimen collection, while eliminating waste of critical collection device supplies
In addition, Quest also recently released two additional panels that allow for the co-testing of more extensive respiratory panels, in conjunction with the SARS-CoV-2 RNA Qualitative NAAT (COVID-19) including the following:
- SARS-CoV-2 RNA (COVID-19) and Respiratory Viral Panel (RVP), Qualitative NAAT (Test Code 31686*)
- SARS-CoV-2 RNA (COVID-19) and Respiratory Pathogen Panel (RPP), Qualitative NAAT (Test Code 31687*)
These panels are more comprehensive respiratory disease panels that include Influenza A and B, numerous other pathogens that could cause similar respiratory symptoms to Influenza A and B, and SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). The new test codes provide the ability to perform the RVP or the RPP panels with the SARS-CoV-2 RNA (COVID-19) test using a single test code and a single patient specimen.