Easy and Fast Point-of-Care Testing of Avian Metapneumovirus Using TORCH™ mLAMP

Avian Metapneumovirus (aMPV) is an upper respiratory disease of chickens, turkeys and ducks.  An outbreak currently exists in the United States.  The disease is highly contagious, so there is a critical need for a simple, rapid test to enable an efficient response and thus reduce flock mortality.

At Varizymes, we are developing a rapid and multiplexed aMPV test based on our proprietary TORCH multiplex loop-mediated isothermal amplification (TORCH mLAMP) technology.

1. The Problem

Avian Metapneumovirus (aMPV) causes upper respiratory disease in chickens, turkeys and ducks. If untreated, it can lead to pneumonia and death.  Wild water birds act as reservoirs for the virus, and migratory species can accelerate the spread of disease along their flight pathways.  Morbidity can reach 100%, mortality 50% and egg production significantly impacted (1,2).

AMPV is of immediate concern as there is an ongoing outbreak of the virus in several states. Of particular concern is the presence of subtypes A and B which have previously been unrecorded in the United States.

The National Turkey Federation (NTF) estimates that 60-80% of U.S. turkeys harbour the virus, and that aMPV is causing reduced egg production and increased bird mortality (1).

Since aMPV has not been seen in the U.S. for over two decades, there are no approved vaccines available in the country.  This makes early detection of the virus even more critical so that quarantining measures can be enacted quickly.

2. A Rapid and Easy-to-Use Test Kit for aMPV

At Varizymes, we are specialists in loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) diagnostic assay development. LAMP is an excellent choice for both lab and field-based testing as it is fast, accurate, sensitive and completely portable. Traditional LAMP assays can only test for a single target. We have developed a proprietary method, called TORCH mLAMP, that enables the multiplexing of up to 4 targets. For our aMPVDetect™ Kit currently under development, one positive control and both A and B subtypes can be tested simultaneously, in a single 30 minute run. Another significant benefit of TORCH mLAMP is that nucleic acid extraction from samples is usually not required. This makes the test far easier to run in both lab and field-based settings. The test itself can be completed in under 30 minutes (including sample acquisition), providing a simple yes/no/inconclusive readout. Please contact us for early-access opportunities.

3. References

1. Doughman, E. (2024, September 9). Avian metapneumovirus challenges US turkey industry. WATTPoultry.com. https://www.wattagnet.com/broilers-turkeys/diseases-health/news/15683408/avian-metapneumovirus-challenges-us-turkey-industry
2. Rautenschlein, S. (2024, November 7). Avian metapneumovirus infection. Merck Veterinary Manual. https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/avian-metapneumovirus-infection/avian-metapneumovirus-infection#Host-Species,-Pathogenesis,-and-Clinical-Findings_v3343979