Problem:
Current tests on the market, which must be conducted in laboratories, can take anywhere from 11 hours to as long as four days. Even more, if a country has to send out sample to only one of the 200 labs around the world which can identify the N-part of the H5N1 virus,
Smart Solution:
A Singapore company today launched a new test kit which it says can detect the deadly avian flu virus in birds and humans in just 10 minutes.
Reuters writes:
"The new test kits, sold by Singapore-based biotechnology firm Rockeby <RBY.AX>, could enable health officials to respond more rapidly to outbreaks of bird flu -- a crucial step since there are no vaccines or specific cures for the disease. "We believe our products are the world's fastest rapid tests for detecting H5N1 in poultry and humans," Tan Sze Wee, Rockeby's managing director, told a news conference in Singapore.
The test kit for birds, which the company says is the world's first "in-the-field" diagnostic, samples blood, serum or faeces for the H5N1 virus.
"A second kit screens for proteins specific to the H5N1 virus in samples taken from the human nose or throat. Tan conducted tests on a live bird and a volunteer at the press briefing, using cotton swabs, a solution and small plastic droppers. Both had negative readings."
A World Health Organisation spokesman told Reuters that it did not currently endorse any commercial products for detecting the bird flu virus and declined to comment on the new Rockeby test kits.
"There is a plan to standardise the testing internationally, but for now, we ask that samples are sent to our WHO reference labs," said Dick Thompson, spokesman in the communicable diseases section at the WHO in Geneva, Asia's main reference lab is in Hong Kong.
The company has received requests for sample test kits from health or veterinary officials in the United Kingdom, Canada, Singapore, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Japan.
Shares in Rockeby's, which is listed on the Australia stock exchange, more than tripled to A$0.038 this week on plans to launch the kits.
Cost:
Rockeby's test kit for birds will be sold at about $6, compared with between $10 to $30 for other tests now on the market, Tan said. The company plans to sell its test kit for humans for between $10 to $12.
For some developing countries, it may still be cheaper to cull birds rather than test them. The World Bank's proposed $1 billion package for tackling bird flu could help poorer countries to pay for the test kits, Tan said.
© 2005
Walter Derzko
Expert, Consultant and Guest Speaker on emerging Smart Technologies, Strategic Planning, Business Development, Lateral Creative Thinking and author of an upcoming book on the Smart Economy "
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DEAR SIRS,
KINDLY PLEASE CONVEY THIS MSG TO YOUR FRIENDS IN THE RELATED
FACTORY THAT APPEARED IN YOUR EXCELLENT SITE WHO DEVELOPED THE NEW AVIAN FLU .BIRDS FLU TEST .
THANKS IN ADVANCE
QUOTE
Dear Sirs,
We came to know that you have already developed
a diagnosis kit for the highly contagious bird flu virus.
In our country Sudan, it has been declared that the virus was detected in some chicken farms in the capital, Khartoum.
We were approached by authorities here to secure the test kits for farms and for human beings hence our contacting you.
Hope that you are in a position to export your diagnostic kits to Sudan.
Since the situation might soon become critical in our country we can pay you an immediate visit.
Awaiting.
Best regards
Dr. Hassan Agabna (Chairman)
Al Forat Medical Co. Ltd.
4th Floor, 4th tower, Kuwaiti Towers,
Nile Avenue, Khartoum, Sudan.
Mobile 00249912307680
Fax 00249183744874
P.o.box 11951 Khartoum - postal code 11111
Email:
hassanagabna@yahoo.com
hagabna@yahoo.com
UNQUOTE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted by: dr hassan agabna | April 19, 2006 at 02:50 PM
DEAR SIRS,
KINDLY PLEASE CONVEY THIS MSG TO YOUR FRIENDS IN THE RELATED
FACTORY THAT APPEARED IN YOUR EXCELLENT SITE WHO DEVELOPED THE NEW AVIAN FLU .BIRDS FLU TEST .
THANKS IN ADVANCE
QUOTE
Dear Sirs,
We came to know that you have already developed
a diagnosis kit for the highly contagious bird flu virus.
In our country Sudan, it has been declared that the virus was detected in some chicken farms in the capital, Khartoum.
We were approached by authorities here to secure the test kits for farms and for human beings hence our contacting you.
Hope that you are in a position to export your diagnostic kits to Sudan.
Since the situation might soon become critical in our country we can pay you an immediate visit.
Awaiting.
Best regards
Dr. Hassan Agabna (Chairman)
Al Forat Medical Co. Ltd.
4th Floor, 4th tower, Kuwaiti Towers,
Nile Avenue, Khartoum, Sudan.
Mobile 00249912307680
Fax 00249183744874
P.o.box 11951 Khartoum - postal code 11111
Email:
hassanagabna@yahoo.com
hagabna@yahoo.com
UNQUOTE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted by: dr hassan agabna | April 19, 2006 at 02:48 PM