title: Validation of self-swab for virologic confirmation of influenza virus infections in a community setting.
abstract: Few studies have investigated the validity of self-collected nose and throat swabs for influenza confirmation in community settings. We followed outpatients with confirmed influenza with sequential measurement of viral loads and applied log-linear regression models to the viral shedding patterns. Among 176 outpatients with confirmed influenza, the detection of virus and quantitative viral loads obtained from self-swabs was consistent with statistical predictions based on earlier and later measurements, suggesting that self-collected nose and throat swabs can be a valid alternative for virologic confirmation of influenza A or B infection in a community setting.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China. dkmip@hku.hk
authors.forename: Dennis K M
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Ip
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schutten
authors.forename: Vicky J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Rita O P
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Fung
authors.forename: Regina T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Dutkowski
authors.forename: Kwok-Hung
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Gabriel M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: J S Malik
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Peiris
authors.forename: Benjamin J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Cowling
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009666:Nose / Q000821:virology*; D009975:Orthomyxoviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010045:Outpatients; D010614:Pharynx / Q000821:virology*; D016353:Self-Examination / Q000379:methods*; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods*; D019562:Viral Load / Q000379:methods*; D017201:Virus Shedding; D055815:Young Adult