GENETWORx Labs Launches New Breakthrough Diagnostic Flu A-B/COVID-19/RSV Combination Test

TCA/GENETWORx Labs (Glen Allen, VA, USA) has unveiled a new breakthrough diagnostic Flu A-B/COVID-19/RSV combination test that provides patients with early detection of all three separate respiratory viruses with just one test sample.

With people inside homes, businesses, and schools during the cold weather months where there is less ventilation, the COVID-19 virus coupled with influenza and RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) pose a formidable and unprecedented infectious disease threat, particularly since these viruses share similar symptoms. To help battle this triple threat, the new TCA/GENETWORx Combo PCR test provides patients the ability to detect strands of influenza A and B, RSV, and COVID-19 all from a single sample. The molecular diagnostic PCR test detects two types of influenza viruses - influenza A and B - and differentiates them from RSV, and SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The Flu A-B/COVID Combo Test provided by GENETWORx has a 98% accuracy rate for influenza, 99% for COVID-19, and 96% for RSV.

The capability to test for influenza A/B, RSV, and COVID-19 from a single mid-turbinate or nasopharyngeal swab sample means less discomfort for patients when compared with collecting a separate sample for each test. Testing a single sample for several pathogens uses fewer resources and takes less time when compared with running several individual tests on multiple samples to detect different pathogens.

An approval date for a COVID-19 vaccine is still yet to be determined and the flu vaccine is dependent on which strain of influenza is circulating each year. There is currently no vaccine for RSV. Even with the correct strain, the flu vaccine is not 100% reliable. With all the unknowns and risks associated with this upcoming flu and RSV season, the new TCA/GENETWORx test is an important advancement in diagnostic medicine during the pandemic.

"With this new combination test, healthcare providers can provide an accurate diagnosis to patients and treat them with the appropriate measures. Patients then can observe appropriate quarantine measures to stop the spread," said William Miller, CEO of GENETWORx Labs. "Having a combination test that detects three different viruses is a healthcare breakthrough for both providers and patients and will save lives. The Combo test is also easier on patients since only one sample is needed for three answers."

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TCA/GENETWORx Labs