Single Test Detects All Existing Strains of H5N1

A bird flu diagnostic kit was successfully developed by scientists at a research institute and a hospital in Singapore.

The advanced kit enables doctors to rapidly detect all existing strains of H5N1 viruses in a single test with almost 100% accuracy. This will boost the public healthcare system and will aid pandemic preparedness worldwide against this highly infectious and often lethal disease.

The new H5N1 test kit is more accurately known as the H5N1 real-time Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) assay. It is the only detection kit currently available on the market that can accurately and rapidly detect all known strains of the H5N1 avian Influenza A virus.

The current gold standard for H5N1 detection recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO; Geneva, Switzerland) is only able to detect three out of the 10 distinct genetic groups (clades 1, 2, and 3). To detect all existing strains of H5N1 with the WHO detection method is not possible.

Codeveloped by Dr. Masafumi Inoue, a senior research scientist and project director of technology development from the Experimental Therapeutics Center (ETC) under the Agency for Science and Technology Research (A*STAR; Singapore) and Dr Timothy Barkham, a senior consultant of Laboratory Medicine from Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH; Singapore), the newly launched H5N1 test kit has been clinically validated by several hospitals in Southeast Asia.

The new test kit is compatible with the previously launched "4-plex" Influenza diagnostic kit. The latter is being used by several regional hospitals in Thailand. Using such multiplex assays enables simultaneous detection and differentiation of the different types of influenza infection in a single test, which will save laboratories time and expense.

"We are excited to be able to contribute to the fight against H5N1 virus with our expertise and know-how. Our technology has greatly simplified and accelerated the process of detection and identification of new H5N1 variants. Such information is especially critical when the virus mutates to become more dangerous, such as in drug resistance." said Dr Inoue.

Related Links:
Agency for Science and Technology Research
Tan Tock Seng Hospital
World Health Organization