July 9, 2020

Thermo Fisher's ASF test kit receives OIE's approval

The registration of Thermo Fisher Scientific's detection kit for African swine fever (ASF)  in the World Organization for Animal Health's (OIE) manual of diagnostic testing has recently been approved by the organisation.

The test kit -- called the Applied Biosystems VetMAX African Swine Fever Virus Detection Kit -- is the first of its kind to be registered by the OIE.

"The addition of our ASF detection kit to the OIE manual marks a key milestone in our effort to help our customers address the epidemic," said Peter Vuong, general manager (AgriBusiness) of Thermo Fisher. "Veterinary authorities and labs now have access to a validated diagnostic tool that can quickly track infections and help countries take appropriate action against further spread of the ASF virus."

The VetMAX African Swine Fever Virus Detection Kit has been validated as fit for purpose for the detection of ASF from blood, serum and tissues of pigs and wild pigs. This is the result of a rigorous evaluation by a panel of third-party experts.

The kit is sensitive and specific, detecting all ASF virus genotypes known to currently circulate. It allows for reliable and rapid screening during outbreaks as well as ongoing monitoring.

The VetMAX African Swine Fever Virus PCR test has been validated as part of an entire workflow for ASF detection, from sample to answer including Applied Biosystems MagMAX CORE nucleic acid extraction kits and QuantStudio PCR instruments, and has proven useful in more than 1.5 million clinical ASF samples tested around the world.

Additionally, the kit is the preferred technology for detecting ASF in China.

- The Pig Site