Infection Control

FDA clears rapid test for bird flu

Infection Control Weekly Monitor, April 15, 2009

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On April 7, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared a rapid test for the detection of influenza A/H5N1, the subtype of avian influenza A, which can infect humans.

The AVantage A/H5N1 Flu Test uses throat or nose swabs on patients who have flu-like symptoms, according to the press release. In less than 40 minutes the test detects NS1, a specific protein that indicates the presence of A/H5N1. This is the quickest test released by the FDA, since previous tests can take up to three or four hours for results.

Although the subtype is found mostly in birds, infections have occurred in humans and caused the largest number of detected cases of serious disease and death. Experts have worried about the possibility that the virus could mutate further and spread quickly to humans.



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