The Applied Biosystems TaqPath Covid-19, Flu A, Flu B Combo Kit, from Thermo Fisher Scientific, Carlsbad, Calif, has been granted emergency use authorization (EUA) from the FDA. The TaqPath Covid -19, Flu A, Flu B Combo Kit is a real-time PCR test for the detection and differentiation of RNA from the SARS-CoV2, influenza A, and influenza B viruses in nasopharyngeal and nasal swabs.
“Understanding that the flu season would overlap with surges in covid-19 infections, Thermo Fisher worked rapidly to develop a new multiplex real-time PCR diagnostic kit for detecting and differentiating SARS-CoV-2, influenza A, and influenza B. These are illnesses which can present with similar clinical symptoms, but for which patient management, including quarantining measures, greatly differs,” says Mark Smedley, president of Genetic Sciences for Thermo Fisher Scientific. “This new kit offers clinical and public health laboratories a single test to help diagnose and monitor the spread of covid-19 and the flu.”
The TaqPath Covid-19, Flu A, Flu B Combo Kit helps labs expand their existing covid-19 testing menu for respiratory samples while maintaining low operational costs and workflow simplicity. The kit includes Applied Biosystems Pathogen Interpretive Software to automatically convert genetic analysis data into a readable report, helping reduce risk of user interpretation error.
For more information, visit Thermo Fisher Scientific.
Featured image: TaqPath COVID-19, Flu A, Flu B Combo Kit (Courtesy: Thermo Fisher Scientific)
