Emerging Viral Diseases Present Opportunities for Niche Diagnostics

A host of emerging viral infections is providing a market for niche manufacturers of new diagnostic tests, according to a new study released today from Kalorama Information. In both human and animal populations, there are testing opportunities for viral diseases such as SARS, West Nile, dengue, and many other potentially deadly infections that were not even recognized a few years ago.

New York, NY (PRWEB) December 15, 2003 --A host of emerging viral infections is providing a market for niche manufacturers of new diagnostic tests, according to a new study released today from Kalorama Information. In both human and animal populations, there are testing opportunities for viral diseases such as SARS, West Nile, dengue, and many other potentially deadly infections that were not even recognized a few years ago.

The new study, Diagnostics for Emerging Infectious Disease Threats Volume II: Viral Disease, documents a dramatic rise in both human and animal testing for these various diseases and a corresponding dramatic rise in diagnostic products to meet the demand. For example, the number of West Nile virus tests performed in the United States in 2003 was more than 50 times as many as 2002, according to the study.

"Developing products for some of these diseases is a calculated risk," notes Steven Heffner, Acquisitions Editor for Kalorama Information. "Take SARS, for example. Since the outbreak in late 2002, companies have quickly brought ELISA- and nucleic acid-based methods to marketing anticipation of another public health crisis and large-scale testing. However, theres no guarantee that this outbreak will come and these dollars recovered."

The study also found that there are diseases for which commercial diagnostics will probably not be a success, either because of projected low testing volumes or regional technical and price considerations.

The new study is the second volume of a continuing series that also looks at prion diseases (Volume I; published in November 2003) and bacterial and parasitic diseases (volume III; due out next month). Each volume examines the emerging technologies, competitive positioning, revenues generated, and detailed testing volumes for the emerging diseases in question.

About Kalorama Information
Kalorama Information, an imprint of MarketResearch.com, supplies the latest in independent market research for the life sciences. For more information, contact Steven Heffner at 212-807-2634 or sheffner@kaloramainformation.com, or visit www.KaloramaInformation.com.

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