Source: BioFire Defense
For the first time, the WATCHFIRE™ Solution multiplex PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test for wastewater monitoring is now available in the U.S. WATCHFIRE™ offers two panel tests that screen for more than 40 pathogens that cause respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses with easy near-source testing offering multiple PCR results in about an hour. Historically, municipalities used wastewater and environmental surveillance to estimate ongoing population health status by measuring the quantities of pathogens. It can also be used during mass-gathering events and at healthcare facilities as a key tool to inform public health authorities about potential disease outbreaks and monitor trends over time. WATCHFIRE™ includes two separate panels, the WATCHFIRE™ RESPIRATORY PANEL, which tests for respiratory tract infections including SARS-CoV-2, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and Influenza. And the WATCHFIRE™ GASTROINTESTINAL PANEL, which tests for E. coli, Salmonella, Norovirus, and parasites including Giardia lamblia. These panels can be run on the benchtop BIOFIRE® FILMARRAY® TORCH system and data is aggregated on the cloud-based FIREWORKS™ platform. — BioFire Defense, a BIOMÉRIEUX company, Salt Lake City, Utah