18 THE CAAR COMMUNICATOR Unfortunately, LFTs are not as sensitive as PCR. As well, LFTs also provide a significant number of false negatives, which is why experts recommend conducting multiple tests over extended periods of time if the first test is negative. Let’s take HPAI as an example of why these two common types of tests aren’t meeting the challenge of the current pandemic. HPAI kills and spreads quickly. In just 48 hours after the first bird shows symptoms, an entire flock of thousands can be dead. Also, while HPAI doesn’t spread easily between humans, there have been around 250 documented cases, most of which were people catching it after exposure to infected birds. In 56 percent of these bird-to-bird HPAI cases, the disease was fatal. So, when farmers wait days to get results or get results that falsely say their birds are clear, it allows the virus more time to spread farther into the flock and prolongs the exposure to the people who work with the birds. Agriculture needs tests that provide accurate results quickly in the field and can transmit results automatically to the relevant authorities. Loop-mediate isothermal amplification (LAMP) is, like PCR, a DNA amplification technology, but the key difference is that it holds the sample at a steady temperature instead of cycling. The LAMP technology has recently come off patent, and as a result, there’s a great deal of innovation taking place. Rugged tests are in development for agricultural use that provide precise results in about 30 minutes, and some can automatically transmit geotagged results to the Cloud, which helps authorities stay ahead of the spread. We live in a new era where emerging pathogens become more common, and aggressive efforts will be required to contain the damage to the industry. But if we are to win in this fight against disease, we need a new testing paradigm. CAAR: MOLECULAR TESTING One sick chicken can infect the whole community. Finding the problem early can save a lot of chickens, and the farmer a lot of money. Stefano Argenti/iStock/Getty Images Plus photo Shaun Holt is the CEO of Alveo Technologies. The company has developed a molecular detection platform for early, actionable pathogen detection to secure global health and prevent future pandemics. www.alveotechnologies.com
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