Diagnostic kits capable of quickly and reliably distinguishing between flu and SARS-CoV-2 available
 

• Flu and SARS-CoV-2 have similar symptoms, making it difficult to diagnose which virus it is
  


• The company Vitro S.A. provides kits that permit simultaneous detection of up to 13 pathogens, including the different COVID variants and other viruses that cause acute respiratory diseases
  


• These tests facilitate early diagnosis of possible viruses, ensuring patients receive the right treatment
  

Madrid, 21 September 2022.

With the return from the holidays, the end of summer and the arrival of autumn comes the return of one of the most feared enemies: flu. And this year prevention continues to be extremely important, due to the coexistence of other respiratory viruses such as COVID-19. Indeed, the supply of new vaccines for both the SARS-CoV-2 and influenza viruses is already planned (from 26 of September for COVID-19 vaccines and from 17 October for flu).

These two viruses have similar symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, sore throat, cough, fever, muscle pain and loss of taste and smell, among others. It is therefore important to be able to differentiate one disease from the other and diagnostic tests are the quickest, most recommendable solution for this.

Vitro S.A. provides a variety of respiratory virus detection kits to detect and differentiate flu from SARS-CoV-2 and its different variants, as well as possible co-infections during the period of respiratory diseases and other viruses causing acute respiratory diseases. All of them offer fast, reliable results.

Already available is the RT-PCR KIT for detecting flu A, flu B, SARS-CoV-2 and respiratory syncitial virus (RSV). Also available is the FLU-COVID PLUS RT-PCR KIT which, as well as detecting the previously mentioned viruses, also identifies the metapneumovirus (MPV) and rhinovirus (RhV).

In addition, another test diagnoses the different SARS-CoV-2 variants and the Kit Respiratory Flow CHIP simultaneously detects up to 13 pathogens: influenza virus, adenovirus, bocavirus, coronavirus (including SARS-CoV-2), metapneumovirus, parainfluenza virus, respiratory syncitial virus (type A and type B), rhinovirus, enterovirus, Bordetella pertussis, Bordetella parapertussis and Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

According to Francisco Javier Fernández, CEO of Vitro S.A., ‘all these tests are based on real-time RT-PCR and can identify the micro-organism causing the respiratory infection from among a very wide range of respiratory pathogens, so that the most appropriate therapy can be chosen, ensuring patients receive the right treatment”.