Clinical Influenza Testing Practices in Hospitalized Children at United States Medical Centers, 2015-2018

J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc. 2022 Jan 27;11(1):5-8. doi: 10.1093/jpids/piab096.

Abstract

At nine US hospitals that enrolled children hospitalized with acute respiratory illness (ARI) during 2015-2016 through 2017-2018 influenza seasons, 50% of children with ARI received clinician-initiated testing for influenza and 35% of cases went undiagnosed due to lack of clinician-initiated testing. Marked heterogeneity in testing practice was observed across sites.

Keywords: RT-PCR; antigen test; hospitalized; influenza; testing.

MeSH terms

  • Child
  • Child, Hospitalized
  • Hospitals
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Influenza, Human* / diagnosis
  • Respiratory Tract Infections*
  • Seasons
  • United States