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Lectura de 4 minutos
09 de septiembre de 2025
SALUD RESPIRATORIA
Artículo
Revolutionizing Respiratory Care: The Power of Rapid Molecular Testing
Accurate, timely diagnosis is central to limiting the clinical and operational impact of seasonal and emerging respiratory viruses.
During a recent webinar, Scott Sugden, Ph.D., Sr. Director of Medical Affairs, Canada at Cepheid, reviewed the strengths of PCR-based molecular testing compared to antigen testing and explained why moving molecular testing to the point of care (POC) can amplify those advantages. Below are some highlights from the presentation.
Seeing the Virus Early: Why High Sensitivity Matters
Dr. Sugden addressed the fact that sensitivity differences in testing methods for respiratory viruses translate into missed cases when viral load is low early in infection, which in turn can lead to missed opportunities for antiviral therapies and effective transmission prevention techniques.
Minutes, Not Days: Turnaround Time Drives Clinical Impact
Greater sensitivity only benefits patients if the results arrive before treatment or infection-control decisions are made. Dr. Sugden highlighted POC PCR as a way to compress turnaround from days to minutes. He reviewed several studies showing important clinical impacts of onsite and POC testing.
The Hidden Ledger: Cost Implications of Rapid, High-Accuracy Testing
Dr. Sugden noted that cost-per-test is only part of the economic picture; delayed or inaccurate results carry hidden expenses, including equipment and staff time. A few hard numbers he shared:
Watch the full webinar
These highlights provide an overview of the evidence Dr Sugden presented. Watch the on-demand webinar to explore the underlying studies and implementation tips in greater detail.
Bibliografía
- Kim AE, et al. Comparative diagnostic utility of SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen and molecular testing in a community setting. J Infect Dis. 2024 Aug 16;230(2):363-373.
- Tan C, et al. Implementation of point-of-care molecular testing for respiratory viruses in congregate living settings. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2024 Apr 25;45(9):1-5.
- Bibby HL et al. A pragmatic randomized controlled trial of rapid on-site influenza and respiratory syncytial virus PCR testing in paediatric and adult populations. BMC Infect Dis. 2022 Nov 16;22(1):854.
- Beard KR, et al. Routine, molecular point-of-care testing for SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses within an acute oncology service improves patient care. J Infect. 2023 Dec;87(6):516-523.
- Sharma A, et al. The cost of contact precautions: A systematic analysis. Can J Infect Control. Winter 2020-2021;35(4):163-169.
- Hinson JS, et al. Targeted rapid testing for SARS-CoV-2 in the emergency department is associated with large reductions in uninfected patient exposure time. J Hosp Infect. 2021 Jan:107:35-39.
- Brendish NJ, et al. Clinical impact of molecular point-of-care testing for suspected COVID-19 in hospital (COV-19POC): a prospective, interventional, non-randomised, controlled study. Lancet Respir Med. 2020 Dec;8(12):1192-1200.
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