Flu Test in NJ

The flu is a common illness that affects millions of people each year, yet most don’t ever get a flu test. While it is never a pleasant experience, most people can get through it without any significant risks. For those who are young, elderly, immunocompromised or otherwise have significant risk factors, however, this is an extremely serious medical problem. In addition, if the flu lasts an extended period of time, it can be quite dangerous even for otherwise healthy individuals. Another thing to be aware of is that many people (and even some doctors) are quick to say that they have the flu when it may actually be another ailment (or vice versa). This type of misdiagnosis can lead to inappropriate antibiotic therapy or other ineffective treatment options. Knowing the exact cause of an illness is extremely important in many cases and can help to ensure the right treatment for the best possible recovery.

What Does the Flu Test Look For?

Many people don’t realize that there is not just one flu virus that causes people to get sick. There are many different strains of the flu virus, and many other viruses that can provide flu-like symptoms. When you come to our lab for a flu test we can identify what is causing your issues so that you and your doctors can come up with an effective treatment plan. Our flu test will look for the following viruses: 

• Adenovirus B/E
• Adenovirus C
• Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV)
• Human Rhinovirus (HRV)
• Influenza A
• Influenza A 2009 H1N1
• Influenza A H1
• Influenza A H3
• Influenza B
• Parainfluenza Virus (PIV) 1
• Parainfluenza Virus (PIV) 2
• Parainfluenza Virus (PIV) 3
• Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) A
• Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) B

All of these viruses can either cause the flu or else be commonly mistaken for the flu in many people. Getting an accurate test to confirm which (if any) of the viruses you have is very important. To put it in perspective, an estimated 200 million people will be infected with one or more of these viruses each year. Many people actually get infected with two or more of the viruses at once, which can dramatically intensify the symptoms.

Why Get a Flu Test

The flu test can be extremely helpful for your doctors when they are running a differential diagnosis of things like upper or lower respiratory tract infections. It can also help them choose the right virus-specific treatments, which can significantly speed up the recovery process. These benefits are extremely important for patients who have higher than normal risk factors that could make the flu more dangerous or even deadly, but they can be very helpful in any patient. If you think you have the flu, talk to your doctor about having us perform a flu test to identify the root cause of the issue or else contact us directly to have the test performed.
 

Our Patient Service Centers:

NJ:  Linden, Bayonne, Florham Park, Somerset, Voorhees, East Orange, Hoboken, Newark, Succasunna, West Orange, Egg Harbor, Jersey City, Ocean Township, Toms River, Woodbridge, Irvington, Glassboro

NY: Brooklyn, Staten Island, Wappingers Falls

CT: Manchester, South Windsor, Waterbury

MA: Athol, Lancaster, Braintree, Greenfield

RI: North Smithfield, Pawtucket

PA: Hazelton, Kingston, Philadelphia

LA: Metairie, Sunnyside

GA: Columbus