New test to ID viruses approved by FDA

[TZ]

A new test that can quickly tell doctors what kind of virus is making patients sick, and may reduce the use of unneeded antibiotics, was approved Thursday by the Food and Drug Administration.
Expected to be used by hospital labs and in private medical practices, the test identifies 12 respiratory viruses or subtypes, including several types of influenza and rhinovirus — which causes the common cold — in hours, rather than days.

Normally, hospital labs test for viruses by growing them in culture, which can take four days or more. The new test, xTAG Respiratory Viral Panel, developed by Toronto-based Luminex Molecular Diagnostics, can more rapidly identify a virus even at low levels, says Mark Kolins, Chief of Clinical Pathology and Medical Director at the Beaumont Reference Laboratory in Beaumont Hospital, Detroit. Kolins, who tested the viral panel in clinical studies, says it represents an "enormous change," because it will reduce the likelihood that a doctor prescribes antibiotics for an infection caused by a virus. Bacteria respond to antibiotics, but viruses don't.

Luminex Vice President Jeremy Bridge-Cook, says when doctors treat respiratory infections, they prescribe antibiotics more than half the time, "even though 80% of the time those respiratory infections are viral. This test will help reduce unnecessary use of antibiotics," he says, and will guide other treatment decisions, such as whether to isolate patients.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-01-03-virus-test_N.htm

This is good. Now hopefully doctors will quit just handing out anti-biotics to everyone that wants one. God knows we don't need more drug resistant bacteria.
For those of you in the know, its Luminex! I am verrry familiar with this technology and I can say its a pretty accurate test (and very cool technology):thumbsup:

[valerief]

1. Good news, but I didn't even know the FDA approved viruses at all. nt

[TooBigaTent]

4. LOL. That is the way I read it, too. And it made me feel a lot better that I

am sick with a government-approved virus. Now, if they would only work on approving some cures.

[TZ]

5. cures for the common cold

is the holy grail of medicine btw...Too many different varieties of virii. Just be glad we can distinguish between viral and bacterial--> this is a potential life saver because if a very sick person with a virus is given an anti-biotic on the assumption that its bacterial and they should really have been started on anti-viral meds...well...that 2 day wait can be a killer literally

[pinto]

2. Agree. Great improvement in dx and inappropriate antibiotic use.

:thumbsup:

[Warpy]

3. Damn socialized medicine

is coming out with viral identification tests that are going to cut into the profits US drug companies make off unnecessary antibiotics!