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15 May 2009

New Strain of Influenza Increases Demand for Flu Testing

Currently, Thermo Fisher Scientific is offering Oxoid and Remel products for sample collection, transport, and testing and is fully committed to helping laboratories and clinicians respond to the outbreak. Remel MicroTest™ products are available for specimen collection and transport. Various formats and formulations of MicroTest™ viral transport media including M4RT® are available. The Xpect® Flu A&B* rapid diagnostic test kit provides results for influenza A in 15 minutes. The IMAGEN® Flu A & B* Test kit is a direct immunofluorescence test used to detect and differentiate influenza A and B in respiratory specimens.

The 2009 H1N1 Influenza A virus (referred to as “swine flu”) is a new influenza virus. This new virus has been detected in humans in Canada and other countries, including Mexico and the USA. This virus is spreading from person-to-person, probably in much the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread.

Updates and other information that may be of use can be obtained from the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)¹, the World Health Organisation², the Department Of Health³, in the UK and The Health Protection Agency⁴, in the UK.

The virus responsible for these confirmed cases of swine flu in humans has not previously been detected in swine or humans and contains genetic material from swine, avian and human influenza strains. The CDC recommends that suspected cases should be tested for influenza and type A-positive samples sent for further characterisation⁵.

Xpect® Flu A&B detects and distinguishes the type A influenza virus from type B in just 15 minutes, and with 100% specificity, directly from nose or throat swabs, although it has not yet been evaluated with the new H1N1 influenza A strain.

If you would like more information on this product, please contact your local Oxoid representative or please telephone +44 (0) 1256 841144, email val.kane@oxoid.com.

More useful information can be obtained from our update sheet.

* Note: The efficacy of the Xpect Flu A&B and IMAGEN Flu A&B Test Kits has not yet been determined with respect to the new H1N1 Influenza virus.

References:

1. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) online, 28th April 2009 http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/
2. The World Health Organisation, online 28th April 2009 http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html
3. The Department of Health, online http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/AdvanceSearchResult/index.htm?searchTerms=swine+flu
4. Health Protection Agency online, 28th April 2009 http://www.hpa.org.uk/webw/HPAweb&HPAwebStandard/HPAweb_C/1240732817824?p=1240732817665
5. CDC Health Advisory, 25th April 2009, Investigation and Interim Recommendations: Swine Influenza (H1N1), http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/pdf/HAN_042509.pdf

Thermo Fisher Scientific and Oxoid accept no responsibility for the accuracy of information obtained via links from this site.