In this retrospective audit of 941 adult inpatients and emergency department patients undergoing extended respiratory viral polymerase chain reaction testing, the additional detection of non-influenza respiratory viruses did not reduce hospital length of stay or intravenous or oral antibiotic use compared with standard influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 polymerase chain reaction testing. These findings suggest limited clinical utility of extended viral panels in routine adult inpatient care and support more selective use aligned with antimicrobial and laboratory stewardship efforts.

Source: Infectious Diseases