How sensitive is the H1N1 Swine test? A reader asked me that question. I was told a few weeks ago that the H1N1 swine test was between 15-60% sensitive. A Pretty big range. Which means if you have the H1N1 swine flu, 15-60% of the time the H1N1 swine test will be positive.
That doesn't seem like a great screening test, does it? The reader told me the tthought the test runs about $500 and isn't covered by insurance. I have no way of verifying this or not. If that's what the test runs, I'm shocked. At Happy's hospital, we screen for the flu by doing a nasal swab and checking for influenza A/B. H1N1 is an influenza A virus. If the patient is positive for influenza A, we make a presumption of H1N1 swine flu. The sample gets sent to Happy's state lab and that's were further testing is performed (or at least it was, I don't know if they still are).
If you have the symptoms of the flu as an outpatient, would I pay to have myself tested? I'm not sure I would. As I discussed with Mrs Happy's symptoms, the Tamiflu costs around $90 for a five day course, much cheaper than confirming the test.
Should we be checking patients being admitted with flu symptoms or should we just start them on Tamiflu. I don't know the answer to that. I think having a positive flu test would force us into isolation measures to protect other hospital patients and employees. But I'm not sure if a negative test with flu symptoms would prevent me from isolation precautions anyway.
I haven't come across this situation yet.
