Amid reports of the first severe human case of bird flu in the U.S., Labcorp has launched a molecular diagnostic test for the H5N1 virus.
According to the clinical testing giant, its H5 test can be used to help check potential human exposure, as the virus has begun to spread through outbreaks at poultry farms and dairy herds across the country as well as among wild bird populations.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has said the current risk of bird flu to the public’s health is low, and it is continuing to monitor its spread in people through its influenza surveillance programs. The agency has logged about 60 total human cases so far—the majority being mild infections in agricultural workers, with no person-to-person transmission.
On Dec. 18, the CDC confirmed the country’s first severe infection, with a patient in Louisiana being hospitalized.
According to genomic testing, the H5N1 virus belonged to a genotype found predominantly in wild birds and poultry, as well as some human cases in Washington state and British Columbia, Canada. The CDC said the patient had been exposed to sick and dead birds in backyard flocks.
In a statement, Labcorp said it developed its test with support from the CDC to help increase testing capacity and support public health preparedness.
“As we continue to monitor developments related to the H5N1 virus, Labcorp is dedicated to equipping healthcare providers with the critical diagnostic tools they need to address emerging infectious disease threats,” Chief Scientific Officer Marcia Eisenberg, Ph.D., said.
The PCR test involves a nasopharyngeal swab collected at the point of care and shipped to Labcorp for analysis.