Source: Xinhua
04-08-2009 21:47
Special Report: Tech MaxWASHINGTON, April 7 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday cleared for marketing a new, more rapid test for the detection of H5N1 virus, a disease-causing subtype of the bird flu virus that can infect humans.
The test, called A Vantage A/H5N1 Flu Test, detects H5N1 in throat or nose swabs collected from patients who have flu-like symptoms. The test identifies in less than 40 minutes a specific protein (NS1) that indicates the presence of the H5N1 virus. Previous tests cleared by the FDA to detect the virus can take three or four hours to produce results.
"This test is an important tool to help quickly identify emerging H5N1 infections and reduce exposure to large populations," said Daniel G. Schultz, director of the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health. "The clearance of this test represents a major step toward protecting the public from the threat of pandemic flu."
