Application of Accutas Hydrogel Technology for Gonorrhoea Diagnosis and No/Go Decision for Ciprofloxacin Use at Point of Care

Aquila诊断系统公司开发的“Accutas”技术，埃德蒙顿是一个快速的护理点 基于水凝胶的诊断平台，早期已成功检测到血液传播的传染病， 如疟疾和牛/猪病原体。该公司目前正在考虑将其用于检测抗生素 耐药性性传播感染（STI，例如N.淋病），这将是革命性的，鉴于 近年来出现了许多多药/完全耐药细菌。然而，该公司面临 面临的一些主要挑战包括：1）在性传播感染领域没有科学专门知识; 2）无法获得诊断 N.淋病及其对抗生素（如环丙沙星）的敏感性或发现淋病的专业知识 相同; 3）之前没有使用尿液/宫颈拭子样本开发诊断测试的经验， 检测抗生素耐药性拟议的项目旨在通过开发一种诊断方法来解决这些问题。 检测N.的技术淋病和环丙沙星耐药的临床样本， 与Accutas水凝胶技术兼容。这项技术是基于聚合酶链反应 （PCR）为基础的扩增/鉴定N.淋病和耐药性。这 将涉及使用申请人实验室自主开发的新型探针和标准化实验 以确保高水平的特异性和灵敏度。此外，标准化技术将被并入 “Accutas”测试设备，随后进行更多的改进和验证测试。公司将受益 非常感谢与申请人的研究联盟，Jo-Anne Dillon教授以其在 性传播感染和抗生素耐药性领域。在不久的将来，我们设想一个有效的测试N。淋病 治疗，将停止在护理点的传播，并促进减少卫生费用与谨慎 使用抗菌剂。

The "Accutas" technology developed by Aquila Diagnostic Systems Inc., Edmonton is a rapid point-of-care hydrogel-based diagnostic platform that has earlier successfully detected blood-borne infectious diseases such as malaria and bovine/porcine pathogens. The company is now contemplating its use in detecting antibiotic resistant sexually transmitted infections (STIs e.g. N. gonorrhoeae) which will be revolutionary, given the emergence of many multidrug/totally drug resistant bacteria in recent times. However, the company is faced with some key challenges that include: 1) No scientific expertise in the field of STIs; 2) No access to diagnostic biomarkers of N. gonorrhoeae and its susceptibility to antibiotic (e.g. ciprofloxacin) or expertise to discover the same; 3) No prior experience of developing a diagnostic test using urine/cervical swab samples and for detecting antibiotic resistance. The proposed project aims to solve these problems by developing a diagnostic technique for detecting N. gonorrhoeae and ciprofloxacin resistance from clinical samples that will be compatible with Accutas hydrogel-based technology. This technique is based on Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)-based amplification/identification of specific genetic markers of N. gonorrhoeae and resistance. This will involve use of novel probes indigenously developed in the applicant's lab and standardization experiments to ensure high level of specificity and sensitivity. Further, the standardized technique will be incorporated in the "Accutas" test device followed by more refinements and validation test runs. The company will benefit immensely by this research alliance with the applicant, Prof Jo-Anne Dillon who is known for her work in the area of STIs and antibiotic resistance. In very near future, we envisage an effective test for N. gonorrhoeae treatment that would stop transmission at the point of care and facilitate reduced health costs with the prudent use of antimicrobial agents.