Molecular diagnostics company Qiagen launched the first syndromic test that differentiates between monkeypox and five other viruses with similar symptoms.
The QIAstat-Dx Viral Vesicular Panel is currently for research use only, Qiagen said Aug. 15. It tests for the two known forms of monkeypox, and differentiates them from herpes simplex virus 1 and 2, human herpesvirus 6, varicella-zoster virus and enterovirus, which all produce similar lesions.
The test can be used for monkeypox case surveillance, but is not approved for screening or diagnosing.