“My swine flu test is negative but my cough persists. Should I retake the test?”
I recently underwent the saliva test to detect swine flu due to my severe cough. The test however came back negative. Should I redo the test to be doubly sure?
4 Answers
FamilyPractitionerH1N1Flu(SwineFlu)
No, a persistent cough after viral infection may be a secondary bacterial infection; walking pneumonia cough can last 4-6 weeks.
No, some test are only 50% acccurate.
Anything infectious, irritating or invasive can cause a severe cough. You do not say how long you have had the cough, this is important information. If you have had the cough for a few weeks with and after being sick with a respiratory illness this would not be that unusual. If the cough persists longer than that or you have had it for awhile it needs to be further evaluated, and NOT with another flu test.
See your primary family doctor for recheck and you might need a Chest X-ray.
If you start or are running a fever or cough up pink mucous or blood you need to be seen by a doctor immediately.
Hope this helps
Take Care and God Bless
See your primary family doctor for recheck and you might need a Chest X-ray.
If you start or are running a fever or cough up pink mucous or blood you need to be seen by a doctor immediately.
Hope this helps
Take Care and God Bless
No. There are many other illnesses that can cause cough beyond influenza, and antiviral medication for flu is not effective beyond 48-72 hours of illness in any case.
