Pasteur evaluates Qiagen's avian flu assay

The Netherlands-based Qiagen, a provider of molecular diagnostics products and a supplier of solutions for pre-analytical sample preparation, says that the Institut Pasteur in France has successfully evaluated its artus Influenza/H5 LC RT-PCR detection kit.

The Dutch firm says that the rigorous evaluation procedures of the Institut Pasteur included 18 different human influenza viruses, including 16 "seasonal" strains and two cases of human H5N1, and 12 avian strains covering seven distinct sub-types (including recent H5N1). All these influenza viruses were correctly identified by Qiagen's s artus Influenza/H5 LC RT-PCR detection kit. QIAGEN's sensitive assay allowed the detection of very low levels of less than 10 influenza viruses in the samples.

The artus Influenza/H5 LC RT-PCR kit was evaluated in combination with Qiagen's QIAamp virus purification technology. In addition, higher throughput performance of the firm's solutions was demonstrated in combination with the Qiagen BioRobot MDx automation platform which could be well adapted in pandemic situations.