Influenza season is well underway, with nearly half the country reporting flu cases. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), close to half of the cases being reported in the United States are associated with the strain pH1N1 The CDC issued an alert about early reports of pH1N1-associated illnesses for the 2013-14 influenza season. In the context of the worsening flu numbers, COPAN wants laboratorians to be aware of the availability of the company’s flu sample collection kits.
COPAN’s flu sample collection kits are comprised of UTM viral transport media and a patented flocked swab, which has been shown in independent clinical studies to improve the results of respiratory virus diagnostic tests by collecting more patient specimen and delivering the entire sample into the assay platform or cell culture tube. Company representatives say that UTM and a COPAN flocked swab are the optimum kit combination for virology culture, rapid antigen testing, and DFA testing for influenza virus; and the use of the combined products is also a universal open platform viral collection and transport system that has been successfully used for EIA, PCR and other molecular-based assays. The sample collection can be done in outpatient departments and remote sites and can be safely transported to the laboratories for testing.
“COPAN has the infrastructure needed to meet the demand in a timely manner. Our production of flocked swabs and UTM includes shifts 24 hours per day, and we are working closely with our distribution partners to ensure they continue to have plenty of stock,” says Norman Sharples, CEO of COPAN Diagnostics, Inc. View several training videos on the correct procedures to properly collect samples for the diagnosis of respiratory virus infections on the company’s website.
