Respiratory Illness Testing

When you have sudden respiratory symptoms, it’s not always clear what’s causing them because the effects are similar. Respiratory illness testing is used to identify the type of pathogen impacting the respiratory system to provide proper treatment. Respiratory illnesses can include FLU, COVID-19, RSV (Respiratory syncytial virus, which causes most colds), strep, etc.

Pricing for respiratory illness testing:

• COVID/Flu + – $159
• Respiratory Pathogen Panel (RPP+) – $229

Symptoms of a respiratory infection may include a cough, runny nose, sore throat, and difficulty breathing. You may also have chills, fever, and body aches.

An infectious illness is caused by a pathogen that is spread from person to person. With respiratory infections, transmission usually happens through bodily fluid, virus-containing water particles in the air, and direct contact. This contrasts with chronic respiratory illnesses like asthma, severe allergies, COPD, or emphysema. Pathogens do not cause these but can get worse when pathogens are present.

Many viruses, bacteria, and fungi (usually yeast) can enter the airways. When your immune system tries to fight the infection, you experience symptoms.

The test typically requires a throat or nasal swab. We use PCR testing (polymerase chain reaction) for all our in-house testing. This is a type of molecular testing that delivers an accuracy of greater than 99%. It can identify the pathogen infecting the respiratory system to determine the most effective treatment.

Your provider may suggest a Respiratory Pathogen Panel (RPP+) when you’re at risk of (or experiencing) more severe complications from a respiratory infection due to age, chronic conditions, or other risk factors. It’s crucial to find out what’s causing the infection for proper treatment.

If the body produces significant inflammation to fight the infection, this can lead to potentially deadly diseases like pneumonia. Those with existing respiratory diseases like asthma, autoimmune disorders that cause the immune system to attack its cells, compromised immune systems, and those of advanced age may be at risk of worsening symptoms that could lead to a hospital stay or death.