Wuhan Coronavirus can be detected by Explify Respiratory test says IDbyDNA

IDbyDNA claims that its Explify Respiratory test can detect Wuhan Coronavirus apart from more than 900 viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic pathogens.

According to the California-based metagenomics technology company, the Explify Respiratory test is a validated laboratory-developed test for respiratory pathogens like human coronaviruses. The Wuhan Coronavirus detection test is currently available at the IDbyDNA Laboratories in Salt Lake City, Utah.

IDbyDNA said that its research team has tested in-silico generated samples following the publication of 2019-nCoV genome and computationally validated the capability of the Explify Respiratory test to detect novel coronavirus and distinguish it from other human coronaviruses.

The metagenomics technology company said that it has been discussing with the public authorities like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about suspected or confirmed Wuhan Coronavirus cases in the US.

Wuhan Coronavirus can be detected by Explify Respiratory test says IDbyDNA. Photo courtesy of Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke from Pixabay.

Compared to traditional PCR testing, the Explify platform is said to use next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based metagenomics, thereby facilitating more comprehensive pathogen detection and profiling.

Metagenomics is known to be more resistant to quickly evolving pathogens including viruses while making sure that the test can be adapted quickly to new pathogens.

IDbyDNA stated: “This is the second time in recent years that IDbyDNA was able to quickly address a critical gap in an emerging health threat via metagenomics.

“During the Zika virus epidemic in 2015-16, IDbyDNA’s team worked with collaborators to identify the causal Zika viral strain of the first death in the U.S., as was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.”

The Explify Respiratory test is not yet approved by the US FDA, however, its approval or clearance is not required currently for clinical use.