Alveo Technologies and Global Animal Health Announce Major Avian Influenza Surveillance Partnership

Strategic Partnership for Avian Influenza Surveillance

Alveo Technologies has announced a groundbreaking partnership with Global Animal Health (GAH) aimed at establishing a national-scale molecular surveillance system for avian influenza in Egypt. This initiative marks a significant advancement in the poultry industry, as it utilizes Alveo's innovative Alveo Sense™ Poultry Avian Influenza Test, allowing for real-time diagnostics to be conducted in the field rather than centralized laboratories.

Overview of the Initiative

The project will initially deploy 1,000 Alveo Sense analyzers along with 10,000 test cartridges across various locations in Egypt. The aim is to provide broad access to quick testing for avian influenza, reaching approximately 10% of farms situated along major migratory bird routes. In doing so, Egypt becomes the first country to implement this level of diagnostic technology in its poultry sector.

According to Shaun Holt, CEO of Alveo Technologies, the collaborative effort is not just about addressing individual farm concerns; it’s part of a larger strategy to combat a global challenge. He emphasized the importance of using real-time data collection to build a national defense system for food safety and public health. The partnership seeks to shift from a reactive stance—waiting several days for lab results while the virus spreads—to proactive surveillance and intervention strategies.

Transforming Animal Health

Mohamed Hussein, CEO of Global Animal Health Egypt, remarked on the transformative potential of this technology for the country's animal health sector. For the first time, poultry producers and veterinarians can achieve laboratory-quality molecular results in under an hour, directly at the farm level. This rapid turnaround can drastically enhance decision-making processes, expedite responses, and ensure that reliable data is accessible during critical moments.

The threat of avian influenza continues to loom large over global poultry production, contributing to food security issues and public health risks. Recent years have seen mass culling of birds due to outbreaks, surging prices for poultry products, and substantial government compensation costs. The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) has consistently underscored that early detection and swift containment are crucial in curbing outbreaks.

How Alveo Sense Works

The Alveo Sense portable testing system promises to revolutionize existing diagnostic paradigms. Traditionally, avian flu detection relies on centralized laboratories with results taking three to five days, leaving farms vulnerable as the virus can spread rapidly—a distance of up to five kilometers in just two days. The Alveo Sense system, however, can provide precise testing on relevant strain types in situ in about 45 minutes.

Customer implementations have illustrated that this technology allows for containment measures to be enacted days sooner than conventional workflows would permit, helping to mitigate secondary infections on farms and minimizing human exposure. The platform is designed to serve both vaccinated and unvaccinated birds, significantly enhancing its applicability across different production systems and international trade environments.

Moreover, Alveo's platform facilitates a data-driven surveillance network where every test result can be wirelessly uploaded with geolocation and timestamp data, granting nearly real-time insights into emerging risks and outbreak dynamics to veterinarians and regulatory authorities.

Future Implications

The deployment of this system in Egypt is just the initial phase of expanding Alveo's avian influenza testing capabilities further across the Middle East and North Africa in collaboration with GAH. This is particularly important for regions where dense poultry farming, migratory bird routes, and cross-border trade heighten systemic risks of the virus.

Currently, Alveo Sense is operational in 32 countries and actively utilized across Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. The mission of Alveo Technologies is to redefine molecular diagnostics by making fast and accurate pathogen detection readily available at critical points of need—from farms to clinics and beyond, ultimately enhancing not only animal health but also food safety and supply chain resilience.

Learn more about their technology and mission at alveotechnologies.com.