Multiplex kits for respiratory infection diagnosis
Annual respiratory epidemics are thought to result in 250,000 to 500,000 deaths every year, around the world. Therefore the pressure on laboratories to choose a respiratory assay that allows early, efficient and accurate patient diagnosis is crucial. With a myriad of assays available, and multiple features to consider, selecting the most appropriate product can be a challenge.
Respiratory assays from Fast-track diagnostics offer multiple unique features and are critical for improving patient diagnosis and prognosis. There are 3 – 5 million severe cases of respiratory tract infections per year, and within vulnerable patient groups’ treatment is regularly required. During winter months an increase in such infections is observed, with 2.4% of symptomatic cases requiring hospitalisation. Speed and clinical relevance are vital in respiratory diagnostics to ensure correct treatments are employed in a timely manner, and severe cases and hospital admissions are reduced.
Syndromic multiplex kits from Fast-track diagnostics allow extraction to analysis to be performed quicker (less than 2.5 hours). Unlike many competitor multiplexes, several FTD panels can differentiate between rhinovirus and enterovirus and detect parechovirus as well as other clinically relevant pathogens. So, in the same run, at the same time, all probable pathogen causes can be accurately determined, saving time, resources, reagents and money. Additionally, Fast-track diagnostics respiratory assays are supplied with all reagents in one kit and have standard, easy to follow protocols which means various kits can be tested together on the same run.
Flexibility to tailor-make a diagnostic kit relevant to the laboratories’ needs is possible due to the breadth of choice of additional respiratory and non-respiratory assays on offer. Furthermore, the assays are compatible with multiple instruments and extraction methods, meaning it is likely that laboratories will already have compatible instrumentation available. The Fast-track respiratory assays have proven reliability and usability, by satisfying strict criteria of the GABRIEL network for projects funded by the Wellcome Trust, and are used and trusted by the UK National Health Service (NHS) and US Centre for Disease Control (CDC).
