Global testing for infectious diseases has reached USD 16.8 Billion and the segment continues to expand from demand, growing infrastructure in emerging nations, and intense competition, according to a new healthcare market study.

The findings were presented in the latest Kalorama Information (New York, NY, USA) report “The World Market for Infectious Disease Testing.” Infectious diseases are also the frequent target of novel diagnostic technology applications including PCR-alternative molecular amplification methods, next-generation sequencing (NGS), microarrays, and mass spectrometry. Advancements in automation and microfluidics have allowed for proliferation of infectious disease testing across settings and institutions—from traditional sites such as reference labs through physician office laboratories (POLs) and mobile clinics in the developing world.

“Infectious disease tests are one of the most dynamic spaces in the in vitro diagnostics (IVD) industry” said Emil Salazar, IVD industry analyst and author of the report, “Occasional explosive market growth in the infectious disease test market can occur with the emergence of new disease threats or acceptance of new routine screening procedures.”

Conventional real-time PCR offers improved specificity and sensitivity regardless of test setting and is playing a strong role in advanced therapeutics such as antiretroviral therapy.

"No one technology can satisfy clinical demand for infectious disease diagnostics," said Salazar. Molecular tests can provide crucial genus- and species-specific information for investigating epidemics and studying antimicrobial resistance and other relevant traits. For the foreseeable future, laboratories will continue to rely upon traditional identification and antimicrobial sensitivity tests (ID/AST) and immunoassays for routine testing and on molecular tests for hard-to-culture pathogens and the most time-critical infections.

The disparity in infectious disease test market growth rates is evident between countries with established healthcare systems and countries of the developing world. The developed world is projected to be held to an under-4% average annual growth rate in terms of infectious disease test sales through 2020. Countries such as China, India, and in Latin America, on the other hand, remain in the process of implementing rapid testing as part of infectious disease screening and molecular diagnostics. “Even established infectious disease testing tools such as culture ID/AST can expect more robust rates of growth in the developing world as labs update their microbiology testing to automated platforms and increase capacity to handle increased patient volume,” said Salazar.