With mounting concerns about cases of the avian influenza virus H5N1, more commonly called bird flu, scientists around the world are developing new techniques for tracking the virus as it moves from one species to another — especially as it emerges among humans.
The Quantabio team strives to create high-performance products for situations exactly like this. When there are escalating fears about a potential new pandemic, nobody should be wasting time wondering if their reagents performed as expected. They just need to work! We are proud that scientists are counting on our products to help with their bird flu investigations.
In one example, scientists at Kansas State University aimed to enable better epidemiological monitoring of H5N1 in dairy cattle, which have seen widespread infection this year. For this study, they collected samples from a local dairy farm and then isolated and analyzed the viral genomes they contained. Genome sequencing allowed scientists to identify rare or novel mutations in two genes; these mutations have not been found in other H5N1 isolates from birds or mammals. They also found a mutation frequently seen in viruses that make the leap from a non-mammalian species into a mammalian host. Overall, the team reported that their results “underscore the rapid evolutionary progression of HPAIV H5N1 among dairy cattle and reinforces the need for more epidemiological monitoring which can be done using environmental sampling.” For this project, the scientists used Quantabio’s qScript XLT One-Step RT-qPCR Tough Mix for all of the RT-qPCR steps used to detect influenza genes.
In a separate project, researchers in Austria and Italy sought a more robust and reliable approach for detecting avian influenza. Traditional RT-qPCR techniques call for wet reagents, which require labs to maintain a cold chain. That’s an obstacle for labs with fewer resources. To broaden access to high-quality testing for this virus, the team evaluated lyophilized reagents, comparing them to the standard wet reagents for 102 RNA samples. Our qScript lyo 1-step kit was included in the evaluation and performed well, especially with higher viral loads. Quantabio has since replaced that product with our new eQo 1-Step ToughMix® kit, which delivers superior sensitivity (detecting as little as two RNA copies) and excellent stability without the need for dry ice or ice buckets.
Our products have been widely used for veterinary diagnostic purposes, and we are pleased to see they’re making a difference for scientists during this very concerning time for avian influenza. To learn more about perfecting your RT-qPCR workflow, check out this application note on experiment optimization.