SARS-CoV-2, Flu A/B + RSV

Fast detection and differentiation of SARS-CoV-2, Flu A, Flu B, and RSV

 Why choose our test?

The GenomEra® SARS-CoV-2, Flu A/B + RSV Assay Kit is a rapid and robust molecular assay for the simultaneous qualitative detection and differentiation of a panel of common viral respiratory pathogens—severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), influenza A and B, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)—from individuals with symptoms of a respiratory viral infection.

SARS-CoV-2 is the cause of the COVID-19 pandemic that was designated as a public health emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO) in March 2020.1,2 While COVID-19 still poses a global health threat, other common seasonal respiratory viruses continue circulating in the population. The RNA viruses SARS-CoV-2, influenza A, influenza B, and RSV all cause acute respiratory infections with similar clinical manifestations, ranging from an asymptomatic or mild illness in most individuals to a more severe and life-threatening disease.3,4 Infection management and treatment strategies, however, differ from one pathogen to another.

Differentiation between SARS-CoV-2 and the other common respiratory viruses is thus crucial for ensuring correct and timely infection control and treatment measures. WHO recommends the use of sensitive nucleic acid amplification assays, such as reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), for guiding the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and RSV in symptomatic patients.6-9

Key facts

  • Simultaneous detection and differentiation of SARS-CoV-2, influenza A and B, and RSV from a single respiratory specimen
  • Automated, rapid, and cost-efficient: results for four samples in 70 minutes
  • RT-PCR—the current gold standard for the diagnostics of respiratory RNA viruses—utilized in a simple, safe, and automated manner

Assay principle

The GenomEra SARS-CoV-2, Flu A/B + RSV Assay Kit is a rapid and easy-to-use multiplex real-time RT-PCR for the simultaneous qualitative detection and differentiation of SARS-CoV-2, influenza A and B, and RSV nucleic acids from a single respiratory specimen on the GenomEra® CDX System. The assay utilizes hydrolysis probes to detect and amplify the unique sequence regions of SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP), influenza A matrix (M), influenza B hemagglutinin (HA), and RSV nucleocapsid (N) protein-coding genes from upper respiratory swab specimens collected in Copan eSwab, Universal Transport Medium (UTM), or phosphate buffered saline (PBS).

Sample preparation in the GenomEra SARS-CoV-2, Flu A/B + RSV Assay Kit is simple with minimal hands-on time and no need for lengthy RNA extraction protocols. Pre-loaded and sealed GenomEra Test Chips contain all the reagents needed for RT-PCR, and the results are automatically reported by the GenomEra Software in 70 minutes.

The GenomEra SARS-CoV-2, Flu A/B + RSV Assay Kit is intended to aid in the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2, influenza A/B, and RSV infections in humans when used in conjunction with clinical evaluation, laboratory findings, and epidemiological information. Positive results indicate the presence of viral target RNA in the sample, while negative results do not preclude SARS-CoV-2, influenza A, influenza B and/or RSV infection and should not be used as the sole basis for diagnosis, treatment, or other patient management decisions.

Clinical performance

The clinical performance of the GenomEra SARS-CoV-2, Flu A/B + RSV Assay Kit was evaluated at four institutions across Europe during the winter season 2020–2021. Depending on the site, study specimens consisted of fresh and frozen respiratory swab samples collected in Copan eSwab™, UTM, or PBS from patients with signs and symptoms of a respiratory infection. The reference assays used were different custom or commercial RT-PCR assays developed for SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and RSV detection.

Table 1. The GenomEra SARS-CoV-2, Flu A/B + RSV Assay Kit had a good positive percent agreement (PPA) and negative percent agreement(NPA) in clinical samples.

Specimen type Analyte Sample size, n PPA, %

(CI 95%)

NPA, %

(CI 95%)

eSwab SARS-CoV-2 44 100 (80.5–100) 100 (87.2−100)
Influenza A 44 100 (92.0−100)
Influenza B 44 100 (92.0−100)
RSV 44 100 (92.0−100)
PBS SARS-CoV-2 204 87.6 (81.9–92.0) 100 (82.4−100)
Influenza A 204 25.0 (0.6–80.6) 100 (98.2−100)
Influenza B 204 100 (2.5–100) 100 (98.2−100)
RSV 204 100 (98.2−100)
UTM SARS-CoV-2 321 95.5 (77.2–99.9) 100 (98.8−100)
Influenza A 321 92.6 (87.7–96.0) 100 (97.5−100)
Influenza B 321 100 (87.2–100) 100 (98.8−100)
RSV 321 93.5 (84.3–98.2) 100 (98.6−100)


Ordering information

To place an order, please contact your local distributor.

Product name Product code
GenomEra SARS-CoV-2, Flu A/B + RSV Assay Kit
·       20 tests CDX-140-01-20
·       40 tests CDX-140-01-40
·       100 tests CDX-140-01-100
GenomEra CDX System CDX-10-020

The GenomEra SARS-CoV-2, Flu A/B + RSV Assay Kit has received the European CE marking for In Vitro Diagnostic (IVD) medical devices according to the requirements of EU Directive 98/79/EC (IVDD) and is available in European markets. In other markets, please contact your local distributor for availability. The product is manufactured by Uniogen, Finland.

References

  1. Wolfel R, Corman VM, Guggemos W, et al. Virological assessment of hospitalized patients with COVID-2019. Nature 2020. PMID: 32235945.
  2. World Health Organization. WHO Director General’s opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 – 11 March, 2020. .
  3. Ding Q, Lu P, Fan Y, Xia Y, Liu M. The clinical characteristics of pneumonia patients coinfected with 2019 novel coronavirus and influenza virus in Wuhan, China. J Med Virol 2020. PMID: 32196707.
  4. Zhang N, Wang L, Deng X, et al. Recent advances in the detection of respiratory virus infection in humans. J Med Virol 2020;92(4):408−417.
  5. Lian J., Jin X., Hao S., Cai H., Zhang S., Zheng L. Analysis of epidemiological and clinical features in older patients with corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) out of Wuhan. Clin Infect Dis 2020 Jul 28;71(15):740−747.
  6. Diagnostic testing for SARS-CoV-2. World Health Organization (WHO). Interim guidance 11 September 2020.
  7. WHO information for molecular diagnosis of influenza virus – update. 6th revision on January 2020.
  8. WHO Global Influenza Surveillance Network. Manual for the laboratory diagnosis and virological surveillance of influenza. ISBN 9789241548090.
  9. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection (RSV). For Healthcare Professionals.

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