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Antiviral therapy, although not a panacea, can ameliorate influenza symptoms and speed recovery, especially when given early. Use of appropriate antiviral therapy seems to be impeded by uncertainty in the diagnosis of influenza. This, in turn, leads to overuse of antibacterials.
Rapid tests for influenza types A and B have been available, but sensitivity of these assays has been relatively low. For this meta-analysis, investigators reviewed 162 published studies of 130 older rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDTs), 19 newer digital immunoassays (DIAs), and 13 newer rapid nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs). DIAs differ from older rapid tests by using instrument-based digital scanning of the test strips. Rapid NAATs are simplified rever…