Respiratory Viral Testing and Influenza Antiviral Prescriptions During Hospitalization for Acute Respiratory Illnesses

Melissa A Rolfes; Kimberly M Yousey-Hindes; James I Meek; Alicia M Fry; Sandra S Chaves

doi:10.1093/ofid/ofv216

Respiratory Viral Testing and Influenza Antiviral Prescriptions During Hospitalization for Acute Respiratory Illnesses

Open Forum Infect Dis. 2016 Feb 12;3(1):ofv216. doi: 10.1093/ofid/ofv216. eCollection 2016 Jan.

Authors

Melissa A Rolfes¹, Kimberly M Yousey-Hindes², James I Meek², Alicia M Fry³, Sandra S Chaves³

Affiliations

¹ Epidemic Intelligence Service; Influenza Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
² Connecticut Emerging Infections Program , Yale School of Public Health , New Haven, Connecticut.
³ Influenza Division , Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , Atlanta, Georgia.

Abstract

We examined respiratory viral testing and influenza antiviral prescriptions at a US tertiary care hospital. During the 2010-11 to 2012-13 influenza seasons, antiviral prescriptions among acute respiratory illness (ARI) hospitalizations were associated with viral testing (rate ratio = 15.0), and empiric prescriptions were rare (<1% of ARI hospitalizations).

Keywords: acute respiratory illness hospitalizations; influenza; influenza antivirals; respiratory virus testing.