Scientists in the US have developed a rapid and automated swine flu testing method that will enable quick and effective diagnosis decisions.

Researchers from the Wisconsin Medical College and Children's Hospital have developed a rapid and automated system to differentiate strains of influenza, Journal of Molecular Diagnostics reported.

The method -- Real-Time Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (real-time RT-PCR) is a sensitive and specific method for identifying flu substrains; however, technician and assay time are significantly longer than less accurate rapid influenza diagnostic tests
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The team led by Dr Kelly J Henrickson of the Medical College of Wisconsin said, the test which will detect influenza A, influenza B and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in no time, is needed in order to make quick and effective public health decisions in time of pandemic infection.

The test can successfully detect human H1N1, H3N2, and swine-origin H1N1 viruses as well as distinguish these from influenza B and RSV infections, Henrickson said.

He said, these assays could test large numbers of samples over a very short time, allowing for a significant decrease in both technician and assay time.