Infectious Diseases

Illnesses caused by pathogens like bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites¹ – are becoming increasingly difficult to manage.² It is therefore extremely important that laboratories are equipped to handle sudden surges in demand for diagnostic testing during seasonal cycles and worst-case scenarios, such as pandemics.²

Medix Biochemica assists in the success of our in vitro diagnostic (IVD) customers, who develop and produce infectious disease diagnostic tests, by offering:²

A broad portfolio of high-quality IVD-critical raw materials

Flexible molecular systems and serology solutions

A reliable global supply chain

Customized solutions and expert support

Want to learn more about Medix Biochemica?

The most comprehensive portfolio of raw materials in the IVD world

Medix Biochemica can supply over 5 000 products, including best-in-class:

Antibodies

Antigens

Enzymes

Biospecimens

Molecular reagents

We help customers address current and future infectious disease management challenges, while also enabling the scalability they need to react effectively in cases of increased demand, such as pandemics.²

“Infectious diseases are the result of the presence and growth of a pathogenic (disease-causing) agent inside the body, and of the body’s reaction to that agent (infection). Such diseases are of great concern to the IVD industry due to their potential impact on any population – locally, regionally and globally.

Medix Biochemica provides a wide selection of high-quality antibodies, recombinant antigens and molecular diagnostic reagents to support infectious disease testing. Our optimized, industrial-scale manufacturing procedures, certified batch-to-batch consistency and expert customer service have made Medix Biochemica an ideal raw material supply partner for test manufacturers and other important customers in the in vitro diagnostic community.”

- Medix Biochemica

Understanding the pathogens that cause infectious diseases^1,1a,1b

Pathogens (also called infectious agents) are the organisms that cause infectious diseases.

Pathogen	Description	Common Diseases
Bacterium	A single-celled organism that can cause infection by multiplying rapidly in the host’s body.	Urinary tract infection (UTI) Tuberculosis Salmonella
Virus	Typically a piece of information (DNA or RNA) wrapped in a protein coating that invades the host’s healthy cells and multiplies there.	Common cold Influenza COVID-19 Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
Fungus	A microorganism that can cause disease when overgrowth/imbalance occurs.	Ringworm Thrush
Parasite	Parasites such as worms can live in many areas of the human body and cause disease.	Toxoplasmosis Giardiasis Tapeworm infection
Prion	Prion diseases occur when proteins normally found in the body misfold. This misfolding, which can be caused by eating or handling meat contaminated with prions, causes illness and leads to brain damage. Symptoms may take years to develop but, once they do, the disease progresses rapidly and is fatal.	Untreatable, fatal prion diseases

How infectious diseases spread^1,3

There are several ways that infectious diseases can spread from one person to another.

Route of Transmission	Description	Disease Examples
Airborne	Pathogens are carried by dust suspended in the air and then inhaled.	Measles Tuberculosis
Respiratory (droplet)	Diseases are spread by direct contact with: droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes saliva or mucus on unwashed hands	Measles Tuberculosis RSV Chickenpox
Food or water	Diseases are spread by the ingestion of contaminated food or water.	Salmonella Cholera
Animal or insect	Diseases are spread by contact with or bites from pets, livestock or insects like mosquitoes.	Malaria West Nile virus Rabies
Sexual	Diseases are transmitted by the exchange of body fluids during sexual contact.	HIV/AIDS HPV Chlamydia Genital herpes

Infectious disease challenges: A post-COVID perspective⁴

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we think about infectious diseases and the world remains alert for threats that could lead to future outbreaks.

Product spotlight: Validated Antibodies Enable Reliable Point-of-Care and IVD Testing for SARS-CoV-2

IVD can help to address some of the biggest healthcare threats causing the spread of disease right now, including:

International travel and commerce

Transporting people, animals and plants to new locations enables the spread of new infectious disease to these locations. This is especially true of air travel.

Microbial adaptation and change

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when microbes gradually stop responding to the medications that are supposed to kill them. This happens because of the overuse or misuse of these medications. Lack of sanitation and poor disease-control measures also contribute to the spread of microbes and AMR.

Environmental changes

Some diseases are more likely to break out in areas affected by climate change. The higher temperatures and precipitation levels in these places can create a favorable environment for vector-borne diseases to spread.

Breakdown in public health measures and surveillance

In cases where conflict or natural disasters lead to forced migration and/or reduced vaccination coverage, infectious diseases that were previously under control may re-emerge.

Strengthening our infectious disease portfolio: Medix Biochemica acquires ViroStat⁵

In 2023, Medix Biochemica acquired the US-based ViroStat LLC – a global leader in infectious disease antibodies and antigens. This has significantly expanded our infectious disease portfolio.

ViroStat manufactures high-quality antibodies and antigens used for the detection of respiratory agents, sexually transmitted disease agents, gastrointestinal agents and food-borne pathogens.

“The partnership with ViroStat provides Medix Biochemica with market-leading products for a broad range of infectious diseases and further strengthens our scientific capabilities and network in this largest diagnostic area of IVD antibodies and antigens. I am extremely excited about the portfolio and cultural fit between our teams and am looking forward to jointly growing our business to enable our customers to combat infectious diseases globally.”

- Steve Ferguson, CEO of Medix Biochemica

Common infectious diseases

Respiratory syncytial virus⁶

RSV is a common, highly contagious seasonal virus that affects the respiratory system, causing cold-like symptoms. It can lead to more severe illnesses like bronchiolitis or pneumonia, and infants, young children and older adults are most at risk.

RSV seasonality:

Northern Hemisphere

Northern Hemisphere

Peaks from September to January

Southern Hemisphere

Peaks from March to June

Tropical and Subtropical regions

Tropics

Peaks during rainy season and high temperatures

IVD plays a critical role in helping to manage RSV, reducing the magnitude of infection within a community by limiting infectious interactions through timely point-of-care (PoC) detection and diagnosis.

Sepsis

Sepsis – an extreme inflammatory response to infection – is a critical medical condition that kills millions of people every year, but it is also one of the most preventable causes of death worldwide.

Bacterial infection⁹

Bacterium

Viral infection⁹

Virus

Caused by bacteria (single cells that can survive inside or outside the body)

Caused by viruses (need a host body to survive and cause infection by entering and multiplying inside the host's healthy cells)

Can be treated with antibiotics

Cannot be treated with antibiotics

By identifying whether an infection is bacterial or viral, diagnostics play a critical role in combating sepsis. Doctors can properly treat infections before sepsis occurs, which reduces the misuse or overuse of antimicrobial medication.

Sexually transmitted diseases

The COVID-19 lockdown disrupted routine healthcare and impacted screening and care for sexually transmitted diseases. Between 2019 and 2021, gonorrhea cases increased by 15% and primary and secondary syphilis cases increased by 38%.

IVD testing makes at-home diagnosis easier, meaning fewer patients will need access to clinics for testing. It is also helpful for patients who are worried about stigma or embarrassment.

Diseases linked to natural disasters

Natural disasters are closely linked to the spread of infectious diseases like cholera and malaria. There are several major risk factors which contribute to disease outbreaks in a natural disaster scenario:¹⁰

Displaced people living in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions

Poor sanitation, poor hygiene and a lack of access to safe drinking water and food

Overcrowded healthcare services and poor vaccine coverage

Overcrowded healthcare services and poor vaccine coverage

Exposure to disease-carrying animals like mosquitos

Exposure to floodwater while helping with post-disaster clean-up

IVD PoC testing in these situations provides rapid diagnoses. This enables the effective treatment, surveillance and control of infectious diseases following natural disasters.

Many natural disasters occur as a result of climate change, meaning that climate change and the spread of infectious diseases are also closely linked. The rising temperatures that come with climate change are allowing temperature-sensitive diseases to survive in a wider range of conditions, over a wider range of locations.¹¹

Because of its contribution to the spread of infectious diseases, the climate crisis is also worsening the problem of AMR. Both climate change and AMR are among the biggest global health challenges facing the world today.^11,12

Download the Climate Change and AMR Infographic PDF

IVD Techniques for Testing for Infectious Diseases

Immunodiagnosis	A technique that uses the ability of antibodies to bind to an antigen specifically. Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) is the most common tool used in immunodiagnostics¹³
Molecular diagnosis	A technique that focuses on nucleic acids, like DNA and RNA, which are present in a tissue or fluid sample.¹⁴ Nucleic acid measurement techniques such as quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and next-generation sequencing (NGS) are widely used to diagnose infection due to their excellent sensitivity¹⁵
Clinical chemistry	A group of diagnostic tests that use chemical reactions to measure the levels of various compounds and biomarkers in the body, aiding in diagnosis and health monitoring¹⁶

Our molecular diagnostics division, MedixMDx, offers a comprehensive suite of reagents and services for applications including qPCR and NGS, backed by the support of our highly experienced team.¹⁵ The MedixMDx product offering also includes a range of novel engineered DNA polymerases, giving researchers even greater flexibility in assay design.¹⁵

Medix Lab image1

About Medix Biochemica?

Medix Biochemica is trusted by leading names in the IVD industry, working with 23 of the 25 biggest global IVD companies. We have offices around the globe, including our headquarters in Finland (since 1985), and bases in France, Germany, the USA and China.

We produce and supply high-quality antibodies, antigens and other critical IVD raw materials, enabling our IVD customers to manufacture diagnostic tests and supporting materials to help healthcare professionals and patients around the world.

Get in touch to find out what Medix Biochemica can do for you

References:

Infectious disease: Types, causes & treatments. Cleveland Clinic. Accessed July 6, 2024. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17724-infectious-diseases.
1a. Pathogens: Definition, types, diseases, prevention, and more. Medical News Today. Accessed July 9, 2024. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/pathogens-definition.
1b. About prion diseases. Centers for Disease Control. Accessed July 10, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/prions/about/index.html.
Infectious diseases. Medix Biochemica. Accessed July 9, 2024. https://www.medixbiochemica.com/infectious-disease.
Routes of transmission : Acute and communicable disease : State of Oregon. Oregon Health Authority. Accessed July 9, 2024. https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ph/diseasesconditions/communicabledisease/pages/transmission.aspx#:~:text=Some%20disease%2Dcausing%20bacteria%20and,or%20mucus%20on%20unwashed%20hands.
Managing infectious diseases in a post-COVID world. Medix Biochemica Blog. Accessed July 6, 2024. https://articles.medixbiochemica.com/managing-infectious-diseases-in-a-post-covid-world.
Medix Biochemica acquires ViroStat. Medix Biochemica Blog. Accessed July 9, 2024. https://articles.medixbiochemica.com/medix-biochemica-acquires-virostat.
Navigating RSV infections: From understanding to management. Medix Biochemica. Accessed July 9, 2024. https://articles.medixbiochemica.com/navigating-rsv-infections-from-understanding-to-management.
Sepsis infographic. Medix Biochemica. Accessed July 9, 2024. https://info.medixbiochemica.com/sepsis-infographic.
Tackling the global sepsis crises: Saving lives with timely infection diagnosis. Medix Biochemica Blog. Accessed July 6, 2024. https://articles.medixbiochemica.com/tackling-the-global-sepsis-crises-saving-lives-with-timely-infection-diagnosis.
What is the difference between bacterial and viral infections? HealthDirect Australia. Accessed July 6, 2024. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/bacterial-vs-viral-infection.
Natural disasters – How can we help? Medix Biochemica Blog. Accessed July 6, 2024. https://articles.medixbiochemica.com/natural-disasters-how-can-we-help.
AMR and climate change. Medix Biochemica Blog. https://articles.medixbiochemica.com/interplay-between-climate-change-and-amr.
AMR and climate change infographic. Medix Biochemica Blog. https://articles.medixbiochemica.com/interplay-between-climate-change-and-amr.
Immunodiagnostics - An emerging opportunity in biotechnology. Adamas University. Accessed July 6, 2024. https://adamasuniversity.ac.in/immunodiagnostics-an-emerging-opportunity-in-biotechnology/.
Molecular diagnostics. National Cancer Institute. Accessed July 6, 2024. https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/molecular-diagnostics.
Tropical diseases. Medix Biochemica. Accessed July 6, 2024. https://info.medixbiochemica.com/tropical-diseases.
Expert opinion. Anthony Austin, Global Marketing Manager, Medix Biochemica. July 2024.

What are Infectious Diseases?