For research use only
Introduction: Diagnostic Innovation for Zoonotic Threats
When a veterinarian detects influenza A in pigs, they’re not just protecting a herd; they’re helping safeguard public health through broad ongoing surveillance.
To support rapid, biosafe detection of Influenza A viruses (H5N1, H3N2, H1N1) in animal populations, Promega and Longhorn Vaccines and Diagnostics have partnered to create a workflow that doesn’t require BSL-3 containment. It’s scalable, field-ready, and designed with One Health in mind.
This work is part of our broader commitment to enabling real-time disease surveillance—across species and borders. Together with Longhorn, we’re building molecular diagnostics that meet the moment, and the future.
Want the technical details? Read the press release.
Why It Matters: Influenza A and Diagnostic Bottlenecks
Influenza A viruses—including highly pathogenic strains like H5N1—pose a dual threat to animal health and human safety. Yet despite the urgency, many surveillance and research efforts stall at the lab bench. Why? Because working with zoonotic pathogens often requires high-containment (BSL-3) facilities—especially when dealing with real-world samples like cow milk, poultry swabs, or pig oral fluids.
To help overcome this barrier, Promega and Longhorn set out to design a complete diagnostic workflow that does more than just detect. It needed to:
- Inactivate pathogens safely at the point of collection
- Preserve RNA for sensitive, downstream analysis
- Enable automation for high-throughput labs
- Work reliably across a range of complex veterinary sample types
With this goal in mind, we brought together complementary technologies into one streamlined, biosafe solution—designed for flexibility, performance, and accessibility in animal health diagnostics.
Pathogen Inactivation at the Point of Collection
The first step in any safe diagnostic workflow is deactivation. PrimeStore® Molecular Transport Medium (MTM) does this the moment a sample is collected. It inactivates pathogens, stabilizes RNA, and eliminates the need for cold chain transport—reducing risk while expanding access.
Originally developed for infectious disease surveillance, PrimeStore MTM is now used globally to enable safe sample handling in low-resource and high-containment settings alike. For veterinary labs, this means safer processing of potentially dangerous samples without the need for BSL-3 infrastructure.
Automated, High-Yield Extraction
Next, we focus on extraction. The Maxwell® RSC Pathogen Total Nucleic Acid Kit offers automated purification of high-quality RNA and DNA—across a wide range of animal sample types. From cow milk to poultry swabs to pig oral fluids, it delivers the consistency and throughput busy labs require.
Whether you’re working with one sample or 48, the Maxwell platform reduces manual pipetting, speeds up prep time, and enables your team to focus on analysis—not repetitive tasks.
Flexible RT-qPCR Detection
Finally, detection is powered by Promega’s GoTaq® RT-qPCR systems, optimized for sensitivity and ease-of-use. Compatible with published Influenza A primer/probe sets, these master mixes—Endure and Enviro—offer robust performance across diverse matrices.
That means confident detection whether you’re monitoring known outbreaks or conducting ongoing interspecies surveillance.
Putting the Workflow to the Test
To validate this approach, the complete workflow was tested on a range of veterinary sample types—including:
- Cow milk spiked with H5N1
- Oropharyngeal swabs from H5N1-positive turkeys
- Pig oral fluids naturally infected with H1N1 and H3N2
The results were clear: reproducible Influenza A detection, strong RNA recovery, and consistent performance across all matrices. These findings were recently shared as part of a scientific poster presentation—highlighting the workflow’s potential for real-world animal health applications.
What This Means for Animal Health Professionals
For veterinarians, diagnostic labs, and public health agencies, this workflow offers more than just performance—it offers possibility.
- Safety Without Compromise: PrimeStore MTM enables biosafe workflows from field to lab—no cold chain required.
- Sample Versatility: Real-world performance validated across multiple species and matrices.
- Scalable Efficiency: Maxwell automation streamlines prep, helping labs keep pace with growing testing needs.
- One Health Ready: Designed for zoonotic monitoring, interspecies surveillance, and cross-sector collaboration.
Interested in Flexible, One Health–Ready Diagnostics?
Whether you’re expanding surveillance or strengthening your outbreak response capabilities, we’d love to connect. Explore our sample-to-answer workflows or get in touch to see how we can support your veterinary and One Health goals. Learn more here.
Related Links
- Promega & Longhorn Partnership Press Release
- Promega Animal Health Molecular Tools and Solutions
- Promega One Health Solutions
- Maxwell® Instrumentation Overview
- PrimeStore® MTM Product Page (Longhorn)
- Novel Biosafe and Scalable Detection of Influenza A (H5N1, H3N2, H1N1) for Veterinary and One Health Applications Poster
- One Health and H5N1: Promega’s Commitment to Holistic Solutions – Promega Connections
Related App Notes
- Detection of Influenza A H1N1, H3N2 and H5N1 Viral RNA from Veterinary Medicine Samples with the GoTaq® Endure RT-qPCR System
- Detection of Influenza A H1N1, H3N2 and H5N1 Viral RNA from Veterinary Medicine Samples with the GoTaq® Enviro Wastewater Flu A, Flu B, SC2 System
- Automated Purification of Viral RNA from PrimeStore® Molecular Transport Medium (MTM)
- Purification of Influenza A H1N1 and H3N2 Viral RNA from Pig Oral Fluid in PrimeStore® MTM with the Maxwell® RSC Pathogen Total Nucleic Acid Kit
- Purification of Avian Influenza A (H5N1) Viral RNA from Poultry Oropharyngeal Swabs in PrimeStore® MTM with the Maxwell® RSC Pathogen Total Nucleic Acid Kit
- Purification of Avian Influenza A (H5N1) Viral RNA from Cow Milk in PrimeStore® MTM with the Maxwell® RSC Pathogen Total Nucleic Acid Kit
Latest posts by Promega (see all)
- Bringing Industry-Relevant Lab Experience to Undergraduate Life Sciences Majors with MyGlo® - November 4, 2025
- Compact Design, Big Impact: Tridek-One Therapeutics Leverages MyGlo® to Accelerate Discovery of Immunomodulating Treatments - October 22, 2025
- One Health in Action: Integrated Solutions for Animal Health Pathogens - October 14, 2025
