Speedy New Medical Test can Identify Twelve Viruses at the Same Time

Less of a specimen required as well from the patient...BD

On Thursday, the FDA approved a test that doctors can use to quickly diagnose twelve different types of viral infection -- including those which cause the common cold, pneumonia, and several varieties of flu.
With only a cotton swab from their patient's nose or mouth, the new diagnostic panel will allow physicians to make better decisions about which medications will be effective. Some drugs, such as Tamiflu (oseltamivir), only work on certain types of viruses.