Qiagen's influenza detection kit evaluated in France, identifies viruses

By Lisa Kerner

Erie, Pa., March 13 - Qiagen NV said the Institut Pasteur in France evaluated the company's artus Influenza/H5 LC RT-PCR detection kit and found it correctly identified the various viruses tested.

The evaluation procedures included 18 different human influenza viruses, including 16 "seasonal" strains and two cases of human H5N1, and 12 avian strains covering 7 distinct sub-types (including recent H5N1), according to a company news release.

All the influenza viruses were correctly identified by the Influenza/H5 LC RT-PCR detection kit.

The artus Influenza/H5 LC RT-PCR kit was evaluated in combination with Qiagen's QIAamp Virus purification technology and its BioRobot MDx automation platform.

"We are very pleased that the National Reference Center for influenza has evaluated Qiagen's preanalytical and assay products as standard components for their influenza surveillance programs," director R&D, assay development, Thomas Grewing said in the release.

"This collaboration with the Institut Pasteur demonstrates how Qiagen's rapid development of its technology leadership is addressing immediate needs in influenza and avian flu surveillance."

The National Reference Center for influenza is part of the Institut Pasteur in France

The artus Influenza/H5 LC RT-PCR Kit enables the detection of influenza viruses in human sputum and serum as well as in throat and nasal swabs using the LightCycler Instrument. The kits are for research use only have not been cleared or approved by regulatory authorities in the United States or Europe.

Qiagen is a Venlo, Netherlands holding company that provides technologies and products for pre-analytical sample preparation and molecular diagnostics solutions.

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