Transforming Molecular Diagnostics: With the GenArraytion MultiFLEX Bioassay for Zika, Chikungunya, Dengue, and Yellow Fever Viruses

Arthropod vectors are responsible for the transmission of some of the most devastating diseases throughout the world. The accurate diagnosis of these diseases can be complicated due to similar clinical presentations, cross-reactivity, or the possibility of co-infection. Thus, there is a need for rapid and accurate methods of detection that can reliably distinguish between causative agents. With the recent outbreak of Zika virus throughout the Americas, it has become imperative to accurately discriminate between this virus and other similar mosquito-borne viruses. In early 2016, GenArraytion developed a MultiFLEX™ Bioassay that identifies six regions of the Zika genome and distinguishes between the Dengue serotypes, Chikungunya, and Yellow Fever viruses as well as Plasmodium falciparum in a single test. In this presentation, we will discuss the caveats of current detection methods, the development of the GenArraytion technology and their speed to market, and how ATCC strains and nucleic acids were used in evaluating the sensitivity and specificity of this assay.

Key Points

• There is a need for rapid and accurate methods for detecting and distinguishing between similar mosquito-borne viruses
• The GenArraytion Mosquito-borne MultiFLEX Bioassay is a highly specific and sensitive multiplex PCR assay that can accurately distinguish between Zika, Chikungunya, Dengue, and Yellow Fever viruses within a single sample
• High-quality, authenticated strains and nucleic acids from ATCC were used to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the GenArraytion Mosquito-borne MultiFLEX Bioassay