Rapid assay, method and system for detecting biowarfare agents
Assignee20/20 GeneSystems, Inc.
InventorsVladimir Knezevic, Dan-Paul Hartmann, Jonathan Cohen, Elizabeth Marcus
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Abstract
Provided herein are methods for preliminary analysis of suspect samples, which can be used in triaging possible contaminated sites (e.g., sites contaminated or thought to be contaminated by biowarfare agents). In some embodiments, the methods involve testing for the presence of protein in the suspect sample; optionally, the sample can also be tested for the presence of sugar, and/or for pH determination. Specific embodiment methods are carried out in tubes or other reaction vessels, others are carried out in a pad format, and still others are carried out in a test strip format. Kits for carrying out the described methods are also provided.
Claims23
An on-site triage procedure for testing a substance suspected of containing a biowarfare agent, the procedure comprising:
- providing personnel to the site of the substance suspected of containing a biowarfare agent;
- providing a kit comprising at least one protein detection reagent;
- collecting a sample of the substance;
- and
- testing the sample at or near the site for the presence of protein using the at least one protein identification reagent in the kit;
- wherein detecting protein in the sample indicates that the substance may contain a biowarfare agent, and wherein a substance that may contain a biowarfare agent is subjected to additional testing for at least one specific pathogen or toxin selected from the group consisting of anthrax, ricin, botulinum toxin, Staphococcal Enterotoxin B (SEB), plague, and mixtures of two or more thereof, and if no protein is detected, no further testing for said biowarfare need be done on the sample.
An on-site triage procedure for testing a substance suspected of containing a biowarfare agent, the procedure comprising:
- providing personnel at the site of the suspected substance;
- providing a kit comprising at least one calorimetric protein detection reagent;
- collecting a sample of the substance;
- and
- testing the substance at or near the site for the presence of protein using the reagent in the kit;
- wherein detecting protein in the sample indicates that the substance may contain a biowarfare agent, and wherein a substance that may contain a biowarfare agent is subjected to additional testing for at least one specific pathogen or toxin selected from the group consisting of anthrax, ricin, botulinum toxin, Staphococcal Enterotoxin B (SEB), plague, and mixtures of two or more thereof, and if no protein is detected, no further testing for said biowarfare need be done on the sample.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.