Gastrointestinal Pathogen Panel monitors public health during Olympic Games

Luminex Corporation has announced that Public Health Wales has used Luminex’s xTAG Gastrointestinal Pathogen Panel (GPP) for outbreak investigation activities during Olympic and Paralympic training and events taking place in Wales. Results of a substantial diagnostic validation of the GPP test conducted by the Public Health Wales Microbiology laboratory team at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, are anticipated to be published in a peer reviewed journal.

The xTAG GPP, which received the CE mark in 2011, is a comprehensive test to diagnose gastrointestinal infections. The product simultaneously detects 15 of the most common disease-causing pathogens, including viral, bacterial and parasitic infections, such as norovirus, C. difficile, toxigenic strains of E. coli, Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium and Salmonella, all within 5-6 h. Such innovations in diagnostic technology provide the potential for rapid identification of the cause of outbreaks of gastrointestinal infection and improved patient care.

“We are very pleased with the performance of the assay to date in our validations comparing it to our traditional methods,” said Michael Perry, Clinical Scientist within the National Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory, Public Health Wales. “The ability to generate answers during a single work shift for a majority of the pathogens involved in gastroenteritis, compared to traditional methods which would have taken two days in some cases and much more work to return the same amount of information, is a significant advance.”

“Seeing the contribution of our technology innovations and ability to make a positive impact in public health makes us very proud,” said Patrick J Balthrop, President and CEO of Luminex. “We are pleased to work with thought leaders like the Molecular Laboratory team at Public Health Wales, Cardiff, who continue to advance healthcare and public safety.”