4MD Medical offers a number of solutions for Influenza, Strep A and RSV from leading clinical diagnostic vendors: Alere, Pro Advantage, Quidel, Sekisui and Stanbio.

It’s now back to school and the respiratory infection season is just around the corner; it’s not too early to begin selling testing kits in preparation for what could be a long winter. The respiratory infection season was non-existent last year and as a cyclical prognostication, the winds could shift to a more robust season, increasing visits to the doctor.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) gathers global information from World Health Organization (WHO) reports, country reports, and other sources for indications on what to expect for the US this fall. A peek at the flu activity in the Southern Hemisphere leading up to our respiratory season may provide some insight.

SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE – WHO UPDATE, SEPTEMBER 2012

Influenza A (H3N2) viruses were the most commonly reported type/ sub-type in recent weeks in the Southern Hemisphere temperate region in Chile, South Africa, and Australia; however, significant numbers of influenza type B were also reported in South Africa and to a lesser extent, Australia. Very few influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses have been reported with exception of Paraguay and some countries in Central and tropical South America.

INFLUENZA (FLU A & B)

Typically, in the United States, flu season runs from November through April, with the largest number of cases seen between late December and early March, but in past years we’ve had late October surprises.

According to the CDC, influenza infections cause more than 114,000 hospitalizations and 36,000 deaths annually. In healthy adults, bronchitis and pneumonia (primary viral and secondary bacterial) are the most common complications of influenza.

Together, influenza and pneumonia are the 6th leading cause of death in the United States.

4MD Medical Offers Flu Testing Products:

• Alere BinaxNOW® Influenza A + B 22 test (CLIA Waived) – Product#’s 416-022 & 416-022P
• Alere BinaxNOW Influenza A + B 22 test (Moderate Complex) – Product# 416-000 & 416-000P
• Quidel QuickVue® Influenza A + B 25 test (CLIA Waived) – Product#20183
• Quidel QuickVue Influenza A/B 25 test (CLIA Waived) – Product# 0317
• Sekisui OSOM® Influenza A & B (Moderate Complex) – Product# 190

No additional instrumentation is required to perform these tests.

STREP A

A strep disease is very common in the US and is often seen by healthcare providers throughout the year. Several million people get strep throat and minor strep skin infections each year. Approximately 10,000 people develop invasive group A strep disease each year, resulting in more than 2,000 deaths. Of these, 500 to 1,500 are cases of necrotizing fasciitis and a similar number are cases of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome. Group A strep is fatal to about 20% of patients with necrotizing fasciitis and 60% of patients with streptococcal toxic shock syndrome.

4MD Offers Strep A Testing Product:
• Alere Clearview® Strep A 30 test
(CLIA Waived) – Product# 4581225020
• Alere Acceava® Strep A 25 test
(CLIA Waived) – Product# 4583405008
• Pro Advantage® Strep A 25 test
(CLIA Waived) – Product# P080033
• Quidel QuickVue® Strep A 50 test
(CLIA Waived) – Product# 20108
• Quidel QuickVue+® Strep A 25 test
(Moderate Complex) – Product# 20122
• Quidel QuickVue InLine® Strep A 25 test
(CLIA Waived) – Product# 0343
• Sekisui OSOM® Strep A 50 test
(CLIA Waived) – Product# 141
• Sekisui OSOM Strep A 25 test

For more information please browse through : http://www.4mdmedical.com/