NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – Abbott Laboratories said yesterday that it has received the CE Mark for a PCR-based test that can detect a new variant strain of Chlamydia trachomatis that has been found in one in five chlamydia cases in Sweden.
The assay, which may now be sold for clinical diagnostic use throughout the European Union, is run on Abbott’s automated m2000 real-time PCR system. Abbott said that the assay would be offered in Europe as part of its alliance with Celera.
Wide incidence of the mutant strain has been limited to Sweden, according to Abbott, but cases also have been reported in Ireland, Norway, Denmark, and France.
Abbott also sells PCR-based assays in Europe for HIV-1, hepatitis C virus, and hepatitis C viral load.