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Flu


Diagnosis & Tests

How is the infection diagnosed?

A history and physical examination is the first step in diagnosing flu. Most of the time, the healthcare provider can make the diagnosis without further testing. In some cases, lab tests may be ordered, including:

  • a culture of samples of discharge taken from the nose or back of the throat to determine the type of virus
  • the cold agglutinins test, which measures germ-fighting chemicals that cause blood to clump at low temperatures
  • the influenza complement fixation test, which can detect the presence of disease-fighting chemicals made by the body

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