Published in:
Open Access
01-12-2016 | Methodology
Rapid and sensitive point-of-care detection of Orthopoxviruses by ABICAP immunofiltration
Authors:
Daniel Stern, Victoria A. Olson, Scott K. Smith, Marko Pietraszczyk, Lilija Miller, Peter Miethe, Brigitte G. Dorner, Andreas Nitsche
Published in:
Virology Journal
|
Issue 1/2016
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Abstract
Background
The rapid and reliable detection of infectious agents is one of the most challenging tasks in scenarios lacking well-equipped laboratory infrastructure, like diagnostics in rural areas of developing countries. Commercially available point-of-care diagnostic tests for emerging and rare diseases are particularly scarce.
Results
In this work we present a point-of-care test for the detection of Orthopoxviruses (OPV). The OPV ABICAP assay detects down to 1 × 104 plaque forming units/mL of OPV particles within 45 min. It can be applied to clinical material like skin crusts and detects all zoonotic OPV infecting humans, including Vaccinia, Cowpox, Monkeypox, and most importantly Variola virus.
Conclusions
Given the high sensitivity and the ease of handling, the novel assay could be highly useful for on-site diagnostics of suspected Monkeypox virus infections in areas lacking proper laboratory infrastructure as well as rapid on-site testing of suspected bioterrorism samples.