One Hour Flu Test Developed by Scientists in Move That Could Tackle Antibiotic Resistance

Scientists have developed a test which can diagnose flu in one hour, in a move which could speed up access to the right treatment and tackle antibiotic resistance. The instant swab tests, invented at University Hospital Southampton Foundation trust, mean specific viruses can be isolated, and given the right treatment, within 60 minutes.

Currently such processses take almost a week, meaning thousands of patients are needlessly given antibiotics, fuelling spiralling drug resistance. It also means the most vulnerable patients, who do have flu, and should have been given antiviral drugs, are being left without them.

The study, developed with the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, was tested in the winters of 2015 and 2016, on 720 patients with acute respiratory illness. Half the patients had the point-of-care test, in which case a swab was analysed on the device and the results given to their treating doctor, while the other half received standard care...