SpeeDx Pty Ltd, Sydney, Australia, has received the CE mark for its PlexPCR VHS multiplex quantitative polymerase chain reaction test. The test offers a single-well solution to cover the detection and differentiation of the main causes of genital and oral lesions: herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 (HSV-1, HSV-2), Treponema pallidum (syphilis), and varicella zoster virus (VZV).
Validated for use on multiple lesion specimen types, the test is designed to streamline workflows and support rapid, appropriate clinical management of infections with similar symptoms.
All four infections present with clinically similar symptoms, which appear as lesions or ulcers on the skin, mouth, or genital area. Because of such similarities in clinical presentation, molecular-based tests are recommended to detect and differentiate the cause of infection. Treatments for HSV-1/2 and VZV include acyclovir, famciclovir, and valacyclovir; however, setting an appropriate dosage requires correct identification of the causative virus. By contrast, the bacterial infection T. pallidum can be treated with penicillin-based antibiotics.
Elisa Mokany, SpeeDx.
“With syphilis rates running at an all-time high, there is a real need to have access to the kind of definitive diagnostics that molecular testing can provide,” says Elisa Mokany, chief technology officer at SpeeDx. “Testing with PlexPCR VHS supports early detection and treatment decisions, helping to reduce the risk of disease progression and onward transmission.”
The SpeeDx portfolio is based on advanced multiplex technology. The PlexPCR VHS test is the latest to gain the CE mark, supplementing the company’s line of infectious disease and antibiotic-resistance detection tests.
Colin Denver, SpeeDx.
“Once again we have collaborated with leading sexual health clinicians and researchers globally in order to quickly develop and market the kind of testing that is needed to rapidly diagnose and properly treat the growing threat of sexually transmitted diseases,” says Colin Denver, CEO at SpeeDx. “This latest product release continues to strengthen our position as the leaders in multiplex molecular diagnostics.”
For more information, visit SpeeDx.
