Recently, fatal infectious diseases have been occurring one after another in countries such as China and the United States, raising global concerns. As a result, the importance of early diagnosis and prevention of spread has been highlighted.
On the 7th (local time), the French Ministry of Health announced that a case infected with a new variant sub-lineage 1b (Clade 1b) of Mpox was confirmed in the Brittany region. Mpox is an acute febrile rash disease, and the 1b variant is known for its high fatality rate and rapid transmission, heightening tensions.
In the United States, cases of avian influenza (AI, avian influenza) infection are rapidly increasing. The first death of a person infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) has occurred in the U.S. The Louisiana Department of Health announced on the 6th (local time) that a patient hospitalized with H5N1 had died.
Especially in China, respiratory infections caused by HMPV (human metapneumovirus) patients have surged, putting the quarantine system on high alert. Recently, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention announced that the number of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infections is rapidly increasing, mainly among children and adolescents. HMPV can cause upper respiratory infection symptoms such as cough, fever, and nasal congestion, and in severe cases, it can worsen to pneumonia and bronchitis. However, there is currently no vaccine or treatment specifically available for HMPV.
Meanwhile, the diagnostic technology of the in vitro diagnostic medical device manufacturer Micobiomed is gaining attention. Micobiomed developed the Mpox PCR diagnostic kit for the first time in Korea and received export approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. This kit has proven performance with both sensitivity and specificity at 100%, enabling rapid diagnosis within 30 minutes.
Additionally, Micobiomed developed a kit (Veri-Q COVID-19 & Flu A/B Multiplex Detection Kit, CoVFLU-VM) capable of simultaneously diagnosing various respiratory viruses such as Influenza A/B and COVID-19. Notably, Micobiomed also demonstrated its global technological capability by being the first in Korea to obtain emergency use authorization from the World Health Organization (WHO) for its COVID-19 rapid diagnostic kit.
A bio industry official stated, “As fatal viral infectious diseases spread worldwide, the need for rapid and accurate diagnostic technology is becoming increasingly emphasized.”
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
