MICROCHIP-BASED FIELD ASSAY TO DETECT DENGUE VIRUS

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Dengue virus is the etiological agent responsible for Dengue Fever (DF), Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF), and Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS). There are 50-100 million cases of DF annually worldwide, primarily in tropical and sub-tropical regions. Recent outbreaks in the Americas have occurred. Currently, there are no diagnostic assays commercially available for the direct detection of Dengue virus infection. Such an assay is needed in the endemic areas as a rapid, sensitive and inexpensive diagnostic that can be easily applied under field conditions. Consequently we are proposing the development of an amplification based Dengue virus assay which utilizes NASBA amplification of the Dengue virus RNA genome, and detection of the resulting amplicons using a liposome-microchip based detection technology. This detection technology (i.e., IDA-microchip) has a number of advantages over other methods, and is particularly appropriate for a field diagnostic assay. The result of the project will be a rapid, sensitive prototype assay with genotyping capability for Dengue virus, which can be used on whole blood, and can readily be applied under field conditions. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: The assay is needed: (1) in the clinical laboratory market of the US to rule out Dengue infection; (2) for diagnostic, epidemiological and vaccine evaluation purposes within the US Military; (3) by the WHO and in countries with endemic Dengue virus for diagnosis, epidemiology, vaccine/treatment efficacy, and standard health care purposes.