Harnessing CleanPlex® Technology for H5N1 Bird Flu Virus Surveillance and Research
As H5N1 continues to evolve and pose serious threats across animal and human populations, the need for sensitive, high-throughput genomic tools is more urgent than ever. The recent rise in H5N1 outbreaks among dairy cattle, wild birds, and even humans has triggered concern from global health organizations, including the CDC, WHO, and USDA. Monitoring viral spread, detecting mutations, and preparing for potential human transmission are now top priorities.
At Paragon Genomics, we are committed to enabling faster, more accurate detection of viral threats through our CleanPlex® amplicon-based NGS technology. Whether for public health surveillance, agricultural biosecurity, or evolutionary virology, CleanPlex custom panels provide a rapid, scalable solution to support ongoing H5N1 research efforts.
Why CleanPlex for H5N1 Surveillance?
CleanPlex is a highly sensitive and flexible multiplex PCR-based target enrichment platform, ideal for customizing panels to detect H5N1 and other rapidly evolving RNA viruses. Unlike hybridization-based methods or array-based panels, CleanPlex enables:
- Precise targeting of viral segments (e.g., HA and NA genes) for subtyping and variant monitoring
- Fast turnaround from design to deployment
- Superior performance on degraded or low-input samples, such as those from FFPE or environmental matrices
Key Advantages for Viral Pathogen Research
- Customizable Coverage
Design CleanPlex panels to target specific regions of the H5N1 genome — such as HA and NA segments or expand to include additional Influenza strains for pan-subtype monitoring. - Scalable Workflow
CleanPlex requires just 3 hours of total prep time, with only 75 minutes of hands-on work, enabling high-throughput sequencing from hundreds to thousands of samples.
- High Sensitivity
Detect low viral loads in clinical, animal, or environmental samples — essential for early-stage infection tracking and wastewater surveillance. - Proven Compatibility
CleanPlex panels are optimized for use on Illumina, Ion Torrent, and Element Aviti platforms, ensuring flexible deployment across lab settings.
Responding to the H5N1 Bovine Outbreak
In 2024, the USDA and CDC reported the first known cases of H5N1 in dairy cattle, along with human infections linked to bovine exposure a development that underscores the virus’s potential to cross species barriers. While milk and respiratory secretions are suspected vectors, many questions remain around transmission, mutation, and pathogenicity.
To better understand these dynamics, researchers require tools that are:
- Rapid to deploy
- Highly sensitive to mutation
- Compatible with low-viral-load sample types
CleanPlex custom panels can play a critical role in this response by enabling:
- Targeted sequencing of high-interest viral regions
- Longitudinal mutation tracking
- Cross-species surveillance panel development
Join the Effort: Submit Your Custom Panel Request
Paragon Genomics invites researchers, veterinary diagnostic labs, and public health officials to collaborate on panel designs tailored to your H5N1 research needs. Whether you’re tracking mutations, developing surveillance assays, or validating outbreak diagnostics, we’re here to help.
Submit your design ideas via our Custom Panel Request Form (Gravity Form ID 37), and we’ll help guide you through the design, quoting, and delivery process.
Let’s Collaborate
If you have questions about how CleanPlex technology can support your H5N1 work or if you’re ready to move forward with a custom panel, we’d love to hear from you. Our team can provide technical guidance, performance expectations, and sample prep best practices.
Together, we can build a better foundation for biosecurity, preparedness, and public health in the face of evolving viral threats like H5N1.
Note: CleanPlex panels and products for H5N1 are for Research Use Only (RUO) and not intended for diagnostic use.
Free Consultation
Learn how CleanPlex NGS panels can accelerate your H5N1 research today.
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