Inflammatix deploys host-response testing to track hantavirus outbreak

Traditional diagnostic methods for hantavirus often struggle to provide actionable data in acute care settings, as specific PCR or serology tests may be unavailable or slow to return results. TriVerity®, developed by the Sunnyvale-based firm Inflammatix, pivots away from pathogen detection to analyze the patient's immune response. By measuring 29 specific mRNA signatures from a single blood sample, the test provides a risk profile for bacterial or viral infection and predicts the likelihood of ICU-level care within a week.

Dr. Jana Broadhurst, medical director at the U.S. Region 7 Emerging Special Pathogens Treatment Center, notes that early-stage hantavirus symptoms are frequently indistinguishable from routine illnesses. The collaboration aims to standardize triage and isolation protocols by providing objective data on a patient's immune trajectory. Inflammatix CEO Tim Sweeney emphasized that the technology is designed to replace clinical guesswork with real-time immune system insights, a capability supported by federal funding from BARDA. The system delivers results in approximately 30 minutes, allowing emergency departments to make immediate decisions regarding antimicrobial therapy and patient disposition.