Avian Influenza: Automated Nucleic Acid Testing for Veterinarian Diagnostics

This application note describes an automated method for nucleic acid extraction and avian influenza diagnosis. Avian influenza is a bird disease caused by the highly pathogenic influenza virus. Specific mutations and evolution in influenza viruses cannot be predicted, making it difficult if not impossible to know if or when a virus such as H5N1 might acquire the properties needed to spread easily and sustainably among humans. Tecan’s nucleic acid extraction workstation allows the lab to react flexibly to changing sample entries and allows 96 samples to be extracted in parallel in 1.5 hours.