Rapid Testing Tool for Avian Influenza
Avian influenza has become more transmissible from birds to humans than before. Thai health experts are concerned about this potential, especially following a recent case of H5N1 infection in an 18-month-old boy who had no direct contact with poultry.
The current hypothesis suggests that the boy, named Worawut Ruesrijian, might have come into contact with chicken droppings. “This also means that a person can contract avian influenza if living in a contaminated environment,” stated Kumnuan Ungchusak, head of the Epidemiology Office of the Thai Ministry of Health.
* The biotechnology company Rockeby in Singapore has successfully developed a rapid testing tool for avian influenza called “Avian Influenza Gene Testing.” This tool can diagnose multiple strains of avian influenza, including H5N1, in just 10 minutes, using samples collected from feces, blood, or animal tissue.
In addition to the testing device for poultry, Rockeby has also created a rapid 10-minute avian influenza test for humans by detecting influenza proteins in nasal or throat swabs. The device has been approved for use in Thailand, Malaysia, and Brunei, and is currently undergoing evaluation trials in Vietnam, Singapore, Sri Lanka, the UK, and Canada. The cost for each poultry testing device is $6, while the human testing device ranges from $10 to $12.
THỦY TÙNG – N.T.ĐA (According to JP, BKP, AP, AFP, Reuters)
