A definitive diagnosis leads to the most appropriate treatment, increased patient satisfaction and the potential to prevent life-threatening complications. Differential Diagnosis Differential diagnosis of influenza includes any viral or bacterial respiratory illness.
Differential diagnosis based solely on clinical judgement can lead to inappropriate treatment.
The influenza syndrome is less specific than most think, and a diagnostic tool is necessary to make a definitive diagnosis. This is a throat swab test that takes about 20 minutes to run in the office. With a definitive flu diagnosis, you have the opportunity to treat your patients with a complication-preventing antiviral drug within the first 48 hours of symptoms. Inappropriate use of antibiotics is prevented, reducing costs and side effects. Also, antiviral therapy can be prescribed to prevent complications or the spread of disease.