October 29, 2009

IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. has announced the new IDEXX HerdChek PRRS X3 Antibody Test Kit for porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), which will soon be launched worldwide.

This new indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) detects PRRS in plasma or serum with 99.9 percent specificity and 98.8 percent sensitivity. The test also reduces false-positive singleton reactors by 90 percent. This performance gives laboratories and veterinarians a more reliable and efficient way to accurately diagnose PRRS prevalence.

HerdChek PRRS X3 is available in Europe, Asia and Latin America. Launch in the US is planned for mid-2010.

"By delivering unprecedented specificity and with fewer false positives, the HerdChek PRRS X3 test lets laboratories run more smoothly without needing to plan their schedule around confirmation tests," said Frank Winslow, Senior Manager, Worldwide Marketing with IDEXX.

"Such a dramatic reduction in the frequency of confirmatory testing also means veterinarians can get reliable results more quickly - so they can provide faster diagnoses and help their customers make more confident, informed decisions about herd health."

The HerdChek PRRS X3 Antibody Test Kit identifies both European and US PRRS strains.

IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. is a leader in providing diagnostic tests and information for the production animal industry and tests for the quality and safety of water and milk. The company's portfolio of livestock products addresses more than 50 pathologies affecting bovine, small ruminant, equine, porcine and poultry populations.