LabCorp Enterovirus D68 Assay

LabCorp this week announced the availability of a reflex test to identify enterovirus D68, which is associated with severe respiratory illness that primary affects children. Beginning in August 2014, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state public health agencies reported a marked increase in pediatric patients with severe respiratory illness linked to EV-D68, LabCorp noted. The EV-D68 PCR test determines the presence or absence of enteroviral RNA in a respiratory sample, and if positive, reflexes to an EV-D68-specific PCR test. The EV-D68 subtyping PCR test can determine the presence or absence of the predominant D68 strain.