Gold nanorod diagnostic test and data management system for detection and control of bovine tuberculosis

结核病（TB）是一种主要影响肺部的细菌感染，引起一般疾病、咳嗽并最终死亡。牛结核病（bTB）是由一种影响奶牛的特殊细菌引起的，但它可以传染给包括人类在内的几乎所有哺乳动物。通常的感染途径是通过吸入被感染的飞沫，这些飞沫通过咳嗽从肺部排出。由于这种疾病的病程较慢，一头未被发现的牛可以在它开始出现任何明显的疾病迹象之前将疾病传播给牛群中的许多其他牛。受感染但未被发现的奶牛的不受管制的移动，以及与受感染的野生动物（如獾）的接触，是该疾病传播的主要途径。准确的检测、畜群管理和运动控制对实现根除该疾病至关重要。目前对农场牛群的牛结核病检测是相对主观的，依赖于个别兽医从业者的解释。它也不够灵敏，无法检测到所有被感染的奶牛，因此根除是不可能的。牛结核病控制措施在过去10年中花费了5亿多英镑。如果不进行干预，如果不采取新的行动，预计未来十年的成本将超过10亿英镑。迫切需要一种新的、有效的测试方法。这一提议将召集一个国际联盟来领导对抗牛结核病的斗争。这个雄心勃勃的联盟已经着手开展一个项目，以消除全国乃至全世界农业社区经常遇到的不准确的检测结果。这些“假阳性”结果导致对健康动物和受感染动物进行不必要的屠宰，给农民、社会和政府带来巨大的经济和情感成本。此次合作将Aberystwyth世界领先的生物标志物研究与横向流动诊断专家Clarity Biosolutions、生命科学企业、Dynamic extraction、软件专家Bond Digital Health和加拿大的Sona Nanotech以及金纳米杆LF技术专家联合起来，建立一个由学术和行业专家组成的团队，因为没有任何一家公司可以单独实现这一目标。该项目将最新的尖端科学和技术发展与世界一流的研究、最先进的设施和专业知识相结合，开发出一种新的高度准确、客观的检测方法，以快速检测、管理、控制并最终根除结核分枝杆菌。

Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infection that mainly affects the lungs, causing a general state of illness, coughing and eventually death. Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is caused by a particular bacterium that affects cows but can be passed on to practically all mammals, including humans. The usual route of infection is through the inhalation of infected droplets which are expelled from the lungs by coughing. Because the course of the disease is slow, an undetected cow can spread the disease to many others in a herd before it begins to show any visible signs of illness. Unregulated movement of infected but undetected cows, along with contact with infected wild animals such as badgers, are the major ways that the disease is spread.Accurate detection, herd management and movement control are critical to achieving the eradication of the disease. The current test for bovine tuberculosis on farm herds is relatively subjective relying on individual veterinary practitioner interpretation. It is also not sensitive enough to detect all the cows that are infected therefore making eradication impossible.Bovine TB control measures cost over £500 million in the last 10 years. Without intervention, costs are expected to top £1 billion over the next decade if no new action is taken. A new, effective test is urgently needed. This proposal would bring together an international consortium to lead the fight against tuberculosis in cattle. The ambitious consortium has set out to do a project that will eliminate inaccurate test results frequently experienced by farming communities across the country but also worldwide. These "false positive" results lead to the unnecessary slaughter of healthy animals and infected animals being missed, bringing enormous economic and emotional cost to farmers, society and governments. This collaboration allies Aberystwyth's world-leading biomarker research with Lateral Flow Diagnostic specialists Clarity Biosolutions, life science businesses, Dynamic Extractions, software specialists Bond Digital Health and Sona Nanotech in Canada, specialists in gold nanrod LF technology, to build a team of academic and industry experts because no single company can achieve this goal alone. The project combines the latest cutting-edge science and technological developments with world-class research, state of the art facilities and expertise, to develop a new highly accurate, objective test to rapidly detect, manage, control and ultimately eradicate bTB.