Barnwell Bio has justifiably acquired venture capital funding to detect a range of human and avian pathogens in effluent.  The company presented their ability to conduct metagenomic bio-surveillance at the 2026 IPPE. Effluent assay technology has acquired enhanced sensitivity and specificity over the past decade and especially since the advent of COVID, representing an important adjunct to public health. In our industry there are obvious beneficial applications arising from early detection of poultry diseases to enable rapid imposition of quarantines or to initiate therapy if available. 

Barnwell Bio surveillance has been used successfully to detect cases of bacterial infections that can be treated expeditiously to reduce losses.  The question arises whether the time interval between detection of a pathogen in effluent as compared to conventional diagnostic procedures provides a demonstrable and quantifiable benefit.

It is of concern that the company is promoting the concept of their early detection system to detect and hence control highly pathogenic avian influenza.  Since diagnosis of this infection results in mandatory depopulation with appropriate WOAH procedures including quarantine and area surveillance, the justification for application of this technology is questioned. The critical 24 hours between early recognition using “microbiome fingerprinting” and widely applied PCR assay motivated by flock records, clinical evaluation and rapid immunoassay may or may not provide any practical or financial benefit.  It is highly probable that a presumptive HPAI positive on an effluent assay would require confirmation by PCR before official federal and state action is taken.  As yet Barnwell has not quantified the lead time to diagnose HPAI in large egg production complexes or turkey growing farms, so the claims for benefits are theoretical and as yet unsubstantiated. Even with a 24-to-48-hour lead time, the end result will inevitably be depopulation in the event of HPAI.  The only advantage with respect to early recognition of HPAI could be prevention of inter-farm infection within companies operating multiple complexes with biological interconnection.

Obvious benefits are evident with regard to some bacterial diseases that can be treated applying approved antibiotic therapy or even in cases of viral erosive diseases to anticipate secondary bacterial infection. Claims covering HPAI appear speculative at this time.