One day diagnostic test for respiratory diseases launched

Lab21, a leading independent provider of healthcare and environmental diagnostic services has announced today that its 24 hour diagnostic test for respiratory viral infections such as influenza, is now available to healthcare providers.

The Respiratory Virus Panel (RVP) tests for twenty respiratory viruses, including the common cold, respiratory syncitial virus and influenza A and B including H5N1, the subtype linked to bird flu. The test, which covers virtually all viral species linked to respiratory infection in adults and children, takes around six hours to complete, meaning test results can be returned to patients in a day.

Jerry Walker, CEO of Lab21 said: “Respiratory disease is one of the most commonly documented causes of death in the UK and, coupled with the fact it can be difficult to diagnose the cause of the disease, makes the development of better diagnostics even more important. Our Respiratory Virus Panel is a key step forward in this area, allowing clinicians to get a full diagnosis cheaply and quickly, and ensure patients receive the best treatment.”

The RVP uses multiplex testing, employing the latest in molecular diagnostics for the simultaneous detection of 20 different respiratory viral pathogens. By contrast, most other tests tend to be slower, usually testing for one virus at a time, and, when culture methods are used, taking over two days to complete. The ability to test for 20 pathogens simultaneously is far superior to other multiplex assays currently available allowing a far wider and broad spectrum screening capability.

The test has an advantage in a number of healthcare situations, allowing quicker diagnosis, helping doctors make better prescribing decisions and improving patient care. The test could also improve surveillance and help with public health in the event of a flu pandemic, allowing for rapid testing of suspected cases.

Berwyn Clarke PhD, CSO of Lab21 added: “One major advantage the RVP has over its competitors is the speed at which any testing can be carried out. The ability to conduct rapid and highly accurate surveillance in the event of a flu pandemic would prove extremely useful in containing the spread of the disease. At the same time, the test’s ability to quickly identify when someone has a common cold rather than flu will mean there is less chance of limited Tamiflu stocks being used when not needed.”

One of the major values of the test is the ability to discriminate between viral and bacterial respiratory infections. Where a virus infection can be diagnosed this virus can be treated, if an appropriate antiviral agent is available, but most importantly it avoids the costly and indiscriminate use of antibiotics which have no value against viral infections.