Laboratory Corporation of America: H5 Bird Flu Test

Laboratory Corporation of America has launched an H5 bird flu molecular test to aid diagnosis of H5 bird flu infections in humans. The test, which was developed with support from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is available in the US (currently excluding New York State) for physicians to order for patients suspected of infection with the H5N1 virus. Patient nasopharyngeal swab samples can be collected at point of care, placed in universal or viral transport media, and submitted to Labcorp for analysis via PCR.