b'LIFE-SAVING FLU TEST DEVELOPEDAT NEPEAN HOSPITAL Nepean Hospital researchers have developed aworld-first test to identify which influenza patientswill need urgent, life-saving, medical treatment.The High-risk Influenza Screen Test (HIST) measures an early warning signal released by the patients body into their blood to kick start their immune systems fight against the infection.The test, developed by Dr Benjamin Tang, a doctor from the Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Nepean Hospital, needs only a single drop of blood and a few hours to predict, with 91 per cent accuracy, which influenza patients will develop potentially deadly secondary infections such as pneumonia.Previously doctors could only test for influenza infection but didnt know which patients would be at risk of rapid deterioration.The research, published by Dr Tang and colleagues in the European Respiratory Journal, deciphered the genetic codes that immune cells release to warn the body of a serious infection, such as pneumonia, caused by the influenza virus.HIST will be particularly useful during pandemics when there is a delay in developing vaccines for strains of the influenza virus. The patented High-risk Influenza Screen Test runs on equipment already available in most pathology laboratories. HEALTH CARE INNOVATION 23'