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Updated: Dec 6, 2025
Rapid Molecular Detection and Differentiation of Influenza Viruses A and B
Published on: January 30, 2017
[Performance of the case definition of suspected influenza before and during the COVID-19 pandemic]
E Murillo-Zamora1, C M Hernández-Suárez2
1Departamento de Epidemiología, Unidad de Medicina Familiar No. 19, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Colima, México.
Objective:
This study aimed to evaluate the performance, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, of the case definition of suspected influenza used in community surveillance in Mexico.
Methods:
A cross-sectional analysis of a cohort study was perfomed and cases that met the suspected case criteria (n = 20,511) and that had laboratory-conclusive evidence (quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction) to confirm or discard influenza virus infection, were analysed.
Results:
A high sensitivity and modest specificity were documented, which later decreased during the COVID-19 outbreak, as well as its diagnostic accuracy. However, no significant differences were observed in the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve among the analysed periods.
Conclusion:
The evaluated case definition remains to be a cost-effective alternative for identifying patients who may benefit from influenza-specific antiviral drugs, even during the global COVID-19 outbreak.
