ADVANCED DIGITAL DETECTOR SYSTEM FOR MDR-TB SCREENING

结核病仍然是世界上单一传染病导致死亡的主要原因，随着耐多药结核病(MDR-TB)的出现和传播，这一威胁变得更加严重。现有的检测各种结核分枝杆菌菌株的方法复杂、耗时和昂贵，不适合在疾病传播最猖獗的发展中国家使用。该项目的目的是开发一种仪器，将先进的图像增强技术与荧光素酶报告分支杆菌噬菌体(LRM)技术的最新发展相结合，从而产生一种新的快速筛查方法，大大提高了灵敏度和易用性。拟议的第二阶段工作将是InterScience，Inc.和阿尔伯特·爱因斯坦医学院团队之间合作的继续。InterScience，Inc.是一家在数字图像增强技术方面拥有丰富专业知识的技术开发公司，该团队开发了基于LMR技术的技术，以指示分枝杆菌的健康状况。在第一阶段，这一概念的可行性和优势已得到证明。第二阶段的工作将建立在第一阶段工作的成功成果的基础上，以开发和实施优化的设计并进行现场测试，以使该系统成为各种结核分枝杆菌菌株检测和药物敏感性测试的首选工具。建议的商业应用开发一种紧凑、低成本和高灵敏度的系统，用于结核病的快速诊断和药敏测试，将对研究和临床应用产生直接影响。据设想，该工具将适合作为对耐多药结核病有巨大商业需求的发达国家和发展中国家进行快速筛查的工具。

Tuberculosis remains the leading cause of death in the world from a single infectious disease and the threat is becoming more critical with the emergence and spread of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Existing methods for detection of various strains of mycobacterium tuberculosis are complex, time consuming and expensive, not suitable for use in developing countries where the spread of the disease is most rampant. The aim of this project is to develop an instrument that integrates advanced image intensification technology with the recent development of luciferase reporter mycobacteriophages (LRM) technique to result in a new, rapid screening methodology with greatly enhanced sensitivity and ease of use. The proposed Phase II effort is to be a continuation of collaboration between InterScience, Inc., a technology development company with extensive expertise in digital image intensification technology, and the group from Albert Einstein College of Medicine, the developer of the technique based on the use of LMR to indicate the well being of mycobacteria. Under Phase I, the feasibility and advantages of the concept has been demonstrated. The Phase II effort will build on the successful outcome of the Phase I effort to develop and implement an optimized design and carry out field tests to establish the system as the instrument of choice for detection and drug susceptibility testing of various strains of mycobacterium tuberculosis. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION The development of a compact, low cost and high sensitivity system for rapid diagnosis and drug susceptibility testing of TB will have an immediate impact for both research and clinical applications. It is envisioned that the instrument will be suitable for use as a tool for rapid screening of MDR-TB in both developed and developing countries for which there will be a significant commercial demand.