Equine Influenza: A Rapid Test for Detecting the Equine Virus Is Under Development

Iceni Diagnostics is developing a rapid, non-invasive test for the routine screening of horses for influenza A. The detection kit includes a simple swab for collecting a mucus sample from the horse’s nasal passages and a test strip that changes color when the influenza virus is detected on its surface. This test could be made available to veterinarians in about two years.   Iceni Diagnostics, a British company specializing in carbohydrate-based therapies, has obtained a patent for its approach to detecting and distinguishing between human influenza and avian influenza . Professor David Russell, the company’s co-founder, believes that with minor modifications, it will soon be possible to develop a rapid, non-invasive diagnostic test for horses. In 90% of infectious diseases, pathogens use carbohydrate recognition to bind to their targets in the human or animal body. Since this mechanism is specific to each flu strain, it can be used as a biosensor for the disease. The detector currently under development relies on the use of carbohydrates coupled with gold nanoparticles. If the influenza virus is present, it binds to the nanoparticles and causes them to aggregate. This triggers a photophysical reaction, and the sample changes color. Since carbohydrate detectors differ depending on the influenza subtype, the color change serves not only to identify the presence or absence of the influenza virus but also to distinguish between them. By using sugar recognition instead of current detection methods based on protein markers—which are more common but require cold storage—the new test will be much faster and can be used routinely worldwide. In fact, results will be available almost immediately—within a few minutes—allowing horses to be screened before they participate in races or other equestrian events. Preventing an equine influenza epizootic involves, in particular, vaccination and the administration of antiviral drugs within 48 hours of infection to limit the risk of the disease spreading . However, current laboratory tests require the isolation and culture of the virus, which can take several hours or even several days to yield results. Designed for quick and easy use in the field by equine veterinarians, the kit will make it possible to identify infected horses in stables almost instantly and place them in quarantine immediately, thereby curbing the shedding of the equine influenza virus. In Europe, the disease continues to circulate in France, Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Denmark.