The avian influenza virus H5N1 is shed in infected birds’ saliva, mucous, and feces. Still, other infected animals may shed bird flu viruses in respiratory secretions and other body fluids (e.g., cow milk). The virus can spread rapidly through poultry flocks and among wild birds. Thus, developing diagnostic tests to identify the virus at early stages before dissemination is crucial to contain a pandemic at early stages. 

Detecting pathogens during a pandemic has mainly been based on PCR amplification. Although PCR is relatively fast, samples must undergo a lengthy extraction process, especially for environmental samples. Sequential sequencing also requires highly trained personnel, expensive equipment, and specialized facilities. Thus, the current project will develop a rapid test for the surveillance of H5N1 in human communities, point-of-care settings, animal farms, water supply, sediments of wetlands, farming- and human-derived sewages, animal processing plant sewage, and personnel working in animal husbandry. 

The project will take place in BC. The project will develop engineered antibodies against the virus H5N1. These antibodies will be used to generate a rapid test. Samples from different environments, such as water supply, sediments of wetlands, farming- and human-derived sewages, animal processing plant sewage, etc., will be sampled, analyzed, and validated by the BCCDC using PCR techniques. The impact of the rapid test will be a fast delivery across the province for the early detection of the H5N1 virus to contain the dissemination and allow better management of the disease.