Molecular Diagnostics
Biological organisms such as bacteria and viruses, like influenza A, B, or a combination of organisms, and particularly pandemic influenza, threaten to quickly spread over large geographic ranges and through large populations, causing high rates of mortality and morbidity. Prior to mobilizing and implementing prevention tactics to ensure public health, it is critical to first and foremost detect and identify these organisms as soon as they appear. Early detection and surveillance to track the spread of such organisms might help mitigate the extensive damage predicted in the event of a pandemic outbreak, e.g., influenza. Early detection is also expected to be critical in limiting the spread and impact of a bioterrorist attack.

The conventional surveillance, detection, and identification process typically includes collecting a sample for culture, transporting the sample to a suitable laboratory facility or other testing site, such as national, regional, or state testing laboratories; and then testing the specimen for a range of biological organisms. Standard cultures take days to weeks to detect the infecting agent and handling these microbes bay be dangerous.

Real-time PCR (RT-PCR) does not require live infectious organisms and can deliver results in hours. The majority of modern diagnostic laboratories are transitioning away from traditional culture, and into nucleic-acid-based detection platforms, such as real-time PCR.