Spread of Infections Fuels 14.5 Billion-Dollar Market for Diagnostic Tests

NEW YORK - Nov. 6, 2013 - PRLog -- Increasing incidence of infectious disease is expected to make the market for infectious disease tests among the most dynamic in the in vitro diagnostics industry, according to Kalorama Information. The world market for infectious disease tests is estimated at $14.5 billion in 2012 and should grow at a slightly higher rate than the rest of the diagnostics market.  The finding was made in the company’s new report, The World Market for Infectious Disease Diagnostic Tests.

“Unfortunately for world populations, the future for infectious disease testing looks bright,” said Shara Rosen, Kalorama Information diagnostic analyst and author of the report.  “Twenty well-known diseases—including tuberculosis (TB), measles, Chagas, malaria, and cholera—have reemerged or spread geographically since 1973, often in more virulent and drug-resistant forms.”

The report said that no one technology can satisfy the needs for all infectious disease diagnostics.  Therefore for the foreseeable future, laboratories will use a mix of traditional identification and antimicrobial sensitivity tests (ID/AST) and immunoassays for most routine testing and molecular tests for hard to culture pathogens and for the most time critical situations.  Molecular tests also provide crucial genus and species specific information necessary in the investigation of epidemics and disease outbreaks.  But innovations in traditional ID/AST techniques, immunoassays and culture media allow these test segments to hold their own in this fast paced diagnostics industry.  And the whole market, according to the report, will benefit from a favorable reimbursement trend.

“Interestingly, payers worldwide have recognized value of most infectious disease tests,” said Rosen. “Sophisticated molecular tests for infectious diseases were among the first lab-developed tests commercialized and they appear not to have entered the recent debate for reimbursement and regulatory oversight.”

The report said that of the seven biggest killers worldwide, TB, malaria, hepatitis, and, in particular, HIV/AIDS continue to surge, with HIV/AIDS and TB likely to account for the overwhelming majority of deaths from infectious diseases in developing countries by 2020. Acute lower respiratory infections including, pneumonia and influenza, STDs, HAIs, diarrheal diseases and measles, are major public health problems, worldwide.

Improvements in detection time and the development of accurate rapid screening tests permits more effective treatment choices, which is a positive sign for the market for IVD test products.  The report predicts that in the next 5-10 years from now the emphasis will be on rapid screening tests to detect pathogens and nucleic acid tests to hone in on the appropriate treatment to be given.

The report, The World Market for Infectious Disease Diagnostic Tests contains more information and market breakouts by specific disease segments.  Profiles of hundreds of companies in infectious disease testing are included as part of the report’s coverage.  The report can be found at:http://www.kaloramainformation.com/Infectious-Disease-Diagnostic-7841652/

About Kalorama Information

Kalorama Information, a division of MarketResearch.com, supplies the latest in independent medical market research (http://www.kaloramainformation.com/) in diagnostics, biotech, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and healthcare; as well as a full range of custom research services. We routinely assist the media with healthcare topics. Follow us on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/KaloramaInfo), LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2177845&trk=hb_side_g) and our blog (http://www.kaloramakeypoint.blogspot.com).