Qiagen's solution to swine flu surveillance

Netherlands-based provider of smaaple and assay technologies Qiagen says that two of its tests can be used to screen for the swine flu virus,  which is increasingly affecting humans in countries around the globe.  Data analysis of the viral gene sequences showed that both products  already marketed, the artus Influenza LC RT PCR Kit and the Resplex II  2.0 Kit, can be used to detect whether or not Influenza A virus  sequences are present in a sample, including the H1N1 subtype. If the  sample proves positive, treatment with widely-available medications such  as Tamiflu or Relenza can be prescribed, according to the  recommendations given by the corresponding drug manufacturers.

"We have compared the swine fever virus' sequence with our assays. The  primers, which define the starting and end points of a genetic sequence  that is amplified to make the target sequence visible, match 100 percent  for the artus kit and almost 100 percent for the Resplex kit," said  Thomas Grewing, Senior Director R&D for Qiagen in Hamburg, Germany. "We  are now working closely with reference institutions to have both assays  further re-validated and optimized based on clinical samples," he added.