Effectively treating infectious diseases depends on the ability
to correctly diagnose them. For highly contagious diseases such
as influenza, an accurate and speedy diagnosis is crucial.
Several antiviral drugs are most effective when taken within two
days of getting sick, and with the threat of a potential
influenza pandemic, healthcare providers must be able to rapidly
and accurately diagnose influenza. Currently, most influenza
strains go undiagnosed or are identified in a laboratory miles
from a doctor’s office. If the strain is diagnosed, the time
between a throat swab and a final read out can be days, if not
weeks. Recognizing the need for an improved influenza
diagnostic, NIAID supported IQuum's Lab-in-a-Tube (Liat)
platform—a highly sensitive sample-to-result tool that can
detect and differentiate influenza A and B strains near-patient
in approximately 20 minutes. The Liat Influenza A/B Assay is
currently the only test that has equivalent or better
sensitivity and specificity as existing lab-based nuc