Oct 23 - Lab operator Quest Diagnostics ( DGX ) said on

Wednesday it will launch a test for H5N1 bird flu at the end of

October after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC) gave it contracts to support testing for two

emerging infectious diseases, including the Oropouche virus.

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

The spread of bird flu among dairy herds and infections of

27 people this year have alarmed some public health experts.

More than 100 million U.S. chickens, turkeys and other birds

have been eliminated by the virus since the outbreak began in

2022.

The CDC says that this year, there have been 91 cases of the

Oropouche virus, which spreads primarily through bites from

midges as well as from some mosquitoes.

Last month, the CDC issued a health alert to notify

clinicians and public health authorities of an increase in

Oropouche virus cases in the Americas region that has caused two

deaths so far this year.

CONTEXT

Besides Quest, the CDC is working with four laboratory

companies, including Aegis, ARUP, Ginkgo BioWorks ( DNA ) and

Labcorp ( LH ), to develop tests for health outbreaks.

This will support the country's preparedness for these

threats by ensuring a commercial laboratory provider is able to

supplement public health laboratories in case of an outbreak in

people.

The CDC contract also provides Quest with funds to maintain

testing readiness, such as for adequate supplies of equipment

and chemical reagents used to perform the tests.

WHAT'S NEXT

Quest's bird flu test will be available with a prescription.

Its laboratory in San Juan Capistrano, California, which

developed the test, will also conduct the test.

The test is intended to be performed using respiratory

specimens or specimens of the outer membrane of eyes collected

from people suspected of having the virus, or who meet the CDC's

testing criteria.