Researchers at Australia-based Westmead Institute for Medical Research developed a flu test that requires only a single drop of blood and can predict which influenza patients will develop serious secondary infections.
The test, called the High-risk Influenza Screen Test, analyzes genetic codes immune cells release into the blood to warn of a potentially deadly infection caused by the flu virus, such as pneumonia.
The test needs one drop of a patient's blood to predict if the patient is at-risk of developing a secondary infection. The test has a 91 percent accuracy rate, according to the research team.
The test can also be used to track the efficacy of new drugs as it measures a patient's immune response.
The researchers detailed their findings in the European Respiratory Journal.
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