Evaluation of PCR-Based H5N1 Influenza Detection Methods in Milk from an Inter-laboratory Comparison Study Demonstrating Method-Dependent Sensitivity Variability

) were analyzed with methods grouped by extraction and PCR kit combinations for sensitivity comparison. For high-concentration samples (17,000 and 170,000 copies/100 μL), ROD was ≥99%; however, detection decreased significantly at lower concentrations, with only 34% of participants reliably detecting samples at 1,700 copies/100 μL and 24% at 85 copies/100 μL. Eight distinct method types were used by participants, with some methods consistently detecting low levels of virus, and others having a 0% detection rate at low copy levels. This study reveals substantial variability in H5N1 detection capabilities across laboratories, with method selection impacting sensitivity. This finding has important implications for human and animal health surveillance and emergency response, highlighting the need for evaluation of protocols and quality control measures for H5N1 testing in milk.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Journal of Food Protection
Published
2026-05-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfp.2026.100798
Primary Topic
Influenza Virus Research Studies
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Evaluation of PCR-Based H5N1 Influenza Detection Methods in Milk from an Inter-laboratory Comparison Study Demonstrating Method-Dependent Sensitivity Variability

Gregory H. Tyson, Steffen Uhlig, Anja Schlierf, Olgica Cerić et al.
Journal of Food Protection
Influenza Virus Research Studies
article

Evaluation of PCR-Based H5N1 Influenza Detection Methods in Milk from an Inter-laboratory Comparison Study Demonstrating Method-Dependent Sensitivity Variability

Gregory H. Tyson, Steffen Uhlig, Anja Schlierf, Olgica Cerić, Megan R. Miller, Karina Hettwer, Kirstin Frost, Sarah M. Nemser, Andriy Tkachenko, Laura B. Goodman, Matthew Kmet, Jodie Ulaszek, Christina Loiacono, Kelli Almes, Ravinder Reddy, Yuhan Jin, Emily L. Smith
article en

Abstract

) were analyzed with methods grouped by extraction and PCR kit combinations for sensitivity comparison. For high-concentration samples (17,000 and 170,000 copies/100 μL), ROD was ≥99%; however, detection decreased significantly at lower concentrations, with only 34% of participants reliably detecting samples at 1,700 copies/100 μL and 24% at 85 copies/100 μL. Eight distinct method types were used by participants, with some methods consistently detecting low levels of virus, and others having a 0% detection rate at low copy levels. This study reveals substantial variability in H5N1 detection capabilities across laboratories, with method selection impacting sensitivity. This finding has important implications for human and animal health surveillance and emergency response, highlighting the need for evaluation of protocols and quality control measures for H5N1 testing in milk.

Journal of Food Protection
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (US), Center for Veterinary Medicine (US), United States Food and Drug Administration (US), Cornell University (US), Institute for Food Safety and Health (US), Hochschule für den öffentlichen Dienst in Bayern (DE), Qurtuba University of Science and Information Technology (PK), Food and Drug Administration (TH)
Zero hunger
Openalex Percentile: Top 9%
Influenza Virus Research Studies
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.