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news.A laboratory test developed by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been approved by the FDA for the diagnosis of bird flu in patients suspected to be infected with the virus.
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The product tests for H5 influenza of which bird flu (H5N1) is a subtype. The test returns results on a sample within four hours, compared with the two or three days required by previous testing technology.
If the presence of the H5 strain is identified, further testing is conducted to identify the specific H5 subtype and confirm whether or not the patient is infected with bird flu.
Nearly all of the 160 cases of bird flu reported since December 2003 are believed to have been caused by exposure to infected poultry. The concern is that H5N1 will evolve into a virus capable of human-to-human transmission and lead to an influenza pandemic.
“This laboratory test is a major step forward in our ability to more quickly detect cases of H5 avian influenza and provides additional safeguards to protect public health,” said Mike Leavitt, secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HSS).