“Optimal performance is clearly less feasible while infected with a virus or bacteria. Therefore, we put a lot of effort in their prevention and detection.” In a message posted on LinkedIn last month, Dr Maarten Moen, Sports Physician and Chief Medical Officer of the Dutch Olympic Committee & Dutch Sports Federation, declared that Team NL* will use BIOFIRE^® systems and panels “to test our athletes for possible infections during the Games in Paris.”

The Dutch medical team has set up a mini-laboratory in the Olympic Village, equipped with a BIOFIRE^® FILMARRAY^® TORCH system to test for gastrointestinal (GI) pathogens and a BIOFIRE^® SPOTFIRE^® instrument to test for respiratory sore/throat (R/ST) infections.

“The Dutch medical team sought a solution that was both fast and easy-to-use. The rapid turnaround time was a critical factor. Additionally, they were already familiar with the products by reputation and were highly impressed with their accuracy,” explained Laura Balestra, Manager in charge of Syndromic Testing Market Development in Benelux and Nordic countries for bioMérieux.

Other national staffs expressed great interest in BIOFIRE^® technology for the summer Games, including Finland – which has been using it for many years to test athletes during winter competitions – as well as Australia, Canada, Japan, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. According to our clients, accurate diagnostic results aid medical staff in determining specific treatments, assessing competition fitness, and implementing isolation precautions.

BIOFIRE^® SPOTFIRE^®, a system well-suited for sporting events

BIOFIRE^® syndromic testing solutions enable the care of individuals suspected of having an infection, with results delivered in approximately 15 minutes to one hour. The CLIA-waived BIOFIRE^® SPOTFIRE^® system, which can be used outside of traditional laboratories by non-laboratory personnel, is particularly well-suited for the decentralized, near-patient settings implemented at major sporting events.

Keeping athletes healthy is essential for optimizing their performance and helping protect the community at large. The Olympic and Paralympic Games involve over 15,000 athletes from around the globe along with their support staff, making it critical to isolate anyone who is infected and potentially contagious in order to prevent the spread of disease. In sports as anywhere else, diagnostics continue to be a game changer and play a key role in preserving global public health.

* Name of the Netherlands Olympic Team