Summary: Labcorp has introduced a molecular H5 bird flu test to help diagnose human infections with the H5N1 virus, enhancing public health response amid ongoing outbreaks in poultry and dairy workers.
Takeaways:
- Public Health Support: The test aids in detecting human H5N1 infections during the current U.S. poultry and dairy cow outbreaks, aligning with CDC monitoring efforts.
- Advanced PCR Technology: Healthcare providers can use point-of-care nasopharyngeal swab samples for analysis using Labcorp’s PCR-based test.
- Proactive Preparedness: Developed in collaboration with the CDC, the test expands diagnostic capacity, adding to Labcorp’s track record in tackling emerging viruses like COVID-19 and Zika.
Labcorp announced the commercial availability of its new H5 bird flu molecular test to aid in the diagnosis of human infection with H5 bird flu. The test is available in the United States to physicians to order for patients suspected of infection with the H5N1 virus.*
Curbing H5N1 Virus Infections
The test launch comes amid a multistate outbreak of H5 bird flu in poultry and dairy cows, with several recent human cases in U.S. dairy and poultry workers. While the current public health risk remains low, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is monitoring human cases carefully, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is facilitating comprehensive surveillance of the nation’s milk supply and dairy herds, and Labcorp’s test can be used to evaluate potential human exposure.
Labcorp developed this commercially available test with support from the CDC to increase access and testing capacity to support public health preparedness strategies.
“As we continue to monitor developments related to the H5N1 virus, Labcorp is dedicated to equipping healthcare providers with the critical diagnostic tools they need to address emerging infectious disease threats,” says Marcia Eisenberg, PhD, chief scientific officer at Labcorp. “By leveraging Labcorp’s scientific expertise and extensive testing capacity, we are contributing to a proactive public health preparedness strategy, putting testing resources and infrastructure in place to detect and respond to human cases of H5 bird flu.”
A Point-of-Care PCR Test
Healthcare providers suspecting patients of H5 bird flu infection can collect a nasopharyngeal swab specimen at the point of care and submit it to Labcorp for analysis. Labcorp’s test uses polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology and a specific reagent validated to determine the presence of the H5 virus genetic material. Results are reported to the patient and physician.
Labcorp’s collaboration with the CDC on the H5 bird flu test is the latest in a series of collaborations that have provided testing infrastructure and capacity for emerging viruses that cause infectious diseases in humans, including Zika, SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) and mpox.
*Test not yet available in New York State.
