Point-of-care tests for infection control: should rapid testing be in the laboratory or at the front line?

• Published in: The Journal of hospital infection Vol. 85; no. 1; pp. 1 - 7
• Main Author: Moore, C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Cross Infection - diagnosis; Cross Infection - epidemiology; Cross Infection - prevention & control; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infection control; Infection Control - methods; Infectious Disease; Infectious diseases; Influenza; Medical sciences; Microbiological Techniques - methods; Norovirus; Point-of-Care Systems; Rapid test; Reproducibility of Results; Respiratory syncytial virus; Sensitivity and Specificity; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the respiratory system and ent viral diseases; Virology - methods; Rapid test; Norovirus; Respiratory syncytial virus; Influenza; Infection control; Human respiratory syncytial virus; Pneumovirinae; Respiratory disease; Check; Laboratory; Paramyxoviridae; Infection; Prevention; Virus; Respiratory tract; Mononegavirales; Rapid technique; Viral disease; Caliciviridae; Pneumovirus; Public health

A point-of-care test (POCT) offers a rapid result to manage a patient immediately. The presumed simplicity of such tests belies observed variation between personnel in performing and interpreting results when not appropriately trained. The number of point-of-care devices being developed for the diag...