Detection and Measurement of Blood-Feeding Activity
AssigneeCytosignet, Inc.
InventorNathan L. Smith
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Abstract
This invention provides compositions and methods for detection of hematophagous ectoparasitic activity in an enclosure or area. The compositions comprise a reagent or reagents which are reactive against antigens or markers as they appear in the excrement or other ectoparasitic materials. Such markers or antigens may be produced by the ectoparasite itself or may have been introduced into the ectoparasite because of its blood feeding activity. The method of the present invention comprises collecting from the enclosure or area, a sample comprising environmental dust or materials and subjecting the sample to tests for detecting the presence of hematophagous ectoparasitic markers, host markers or both.
Claims20
A method of determining blood feeding activity by hamatophagous ectoparasites in an enclosure inhabited by individuals of a host species comprising the steps of:
- a) collecting a sample of environmental dust from the enclosure;
- b) detecting for the presence or absence of a host marker or a hamatophagous ectoparasite marker, which host marker or hamatophagous ectoparasite marker is detectable in the excrement of the hamatophagous ectoparasite,
- wherein the presence of the marker in the environmental dust sample is indicative of blood feeding activity by the hematophagous ectoparasites feeding on the inhabitants of the host species in the enclosure and the absence of the marker in the environmental dust sample is indicative of a lack of blood feeding activity by the hematophagous ectoparasites feeding on the inhabitants of the host species in the enclosure.
A method of determining infestation of an enclosure by hamatophagous ectoparasites comprising the steps of:
- a) collecting a sample of environmental dust from the enclosure;
- b) detecting for the presence or absence of a host marker or a hamatophagous ectoparasite marker, which host marker or hamatophagous ectoparasite marker is detectable in the excrement of the hamatophagous ectoparasite,
- wherein the presence of the marker in the environmental dust sample is indicative of infestation of the enclosure by the hematophagous ectoparasites and the absence of the marker in the environmental dust sample is indicative of a lack of infestation the hematophagous ectoparasites.
A composition for detecting the presence of hematophagous ectoparasite comprising a reagent reactive against hematophagous ectoparasitic antigens.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.