New Tests Offer rapid, Precise Bird Flu Detection
Faster and more accurate digital testsโ are now available for detecting avian influenza (bird flu), โenabling quicker responses to potential outbreaks and bolstering animal health monitoring. โคDeveloped by the Jointโ Research Service of the european Commission (JRC) โin collaboration with Sciensano (Belgium) andโ the istituto Superiore di Sanitร (Italy), these โขnew digital RT-PCR tests represent a significantโค advancement in disease surveillance.
The tests areโ specifically designed to identify the currently concerning H5NX viruses belonging to the 2.3.4.4B โคclade, while also capable of detecting a wider range of influenza-A viruses, including those responsible for seasonal flu. A โkey benefit is their heightened sensitivity; theโค tests can detect even minute amounts of viral RNA, even within complex โขenvironmental samples like wastewater.Compared to traditional PCR methods, theseโ digital RT-PCRโ tests offer improved precision and โsensitivity.Conventional tests require aโฃ larger viral load for detection, whereas the new methods identify even the smallest โคtraces โคof viral genetic material.โ Furthermore, the tests โฃallow for a targeted โขdifferentiation between H5NX viruses and other influenza-A strains – a process that previously required multiple tests or complex genetic sequencing. This streamlined approachโ savesโ valuableโค time, resources, โand costs.
The ability โขto detect the virusโค at such an โคearly stage facilitates theโข implementation of effective early warning systems. This allows authorities to react swiftly to potential outbreaks, mitigating economic losses within โthe poultry industry.
Importantly, the tests also support compliance โฃwith the upcoming โEU wastewater directive, set to take affect in 2025, which mandates โinfluenza virus monitoring in wastewater.
The JRC recognizes these tests as a crucial step forward in bird flu monitoring, contributing considerablyโค to the protection of animal health andโ enabling a โขmore proactive approach to disease control.