Diagnostic utility of rapid antigen testing as point-of-care test for influenza and other respiratory viruses in patients with acute respiratory illness

•This study, conducted in a low-resource setting, found that the overall prevalence of respiratory viruses among patients with acute respiratory illness (ARI) was 21.2 %, with influenza A being the most common at 11.4 %.•The use of a rapid antigen test as a point-of-care test (POCT) significantly improved targeted antiviral therapy, with 98.1 % of influenza-positive patients receiving oseltamivir, compared to 39.4 % of those who tested negative.•A significant reduction in unnecessary antibiotic use among influenza-positive patients, emphasizing the utility of POCT in enhancing antimicrobial stewardship. This study investigates the prevalence and clinical characteristics of respiratory viruses among patients with acute respiratory illness (ARI) in a low-resource setting, using a rapid antigen test as a point-of-care test (POCT). We included 343 patients presenting with ARI symptoms at an outpatient pulmonary clinic from December 2023 to April 2024. Nasopharyngeal swabs were tested for SARS-CoV-2, influenza A/B, respiratory syncytial virus, and adenovirus using POCT. The overall prevalence of respiratory viruses was 21.2 %, with influenza A being the most common (11.4 %). Shorter duration of symptoms and lower lymphocyte counts were associated with higher influenza positivity. Patients who tested positive for influenza received significantly more antiviral therapy (98.1 % vs. 39.4 %, p