This CDC developed invention is a novel device for a miniature, nonradioactive bipolar charger to electrically charge aerosol particles for use in personal and portable aerosol instrumentation. Such devices are an integral component of aerosol instruments employing electrical mobility-based techniques. Current, commercial state-of-the-art mobility instruments employ aerosol chargers using radioactivity to achieve bipolar particle charging and, therefore, are not suitable for field-portable instruments.

This technology comprises specific hepatitis E virus (HEV) antigenic polypeptides. HEV causes epidemic and sporadic cases of hepatitis outbreaks with a mortality rate as high as 20% for pregnant women. In order to address this problem, CDC scientists carried out thorough HEV antigen screenings and subsequently developed recombinant proteins that efficiently model major HEV neutralization epitope(s). These recombinant proteins may be considered as candidates for the development of an HEV subunit vaccine, as well as for the development of highly sensitive and specific diagnostic tests.

This CDC developed optimization technology allows one to characterize the behavior of the coefficient of variation (CV) for a range of mass spectrometer machine settings. Surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization (SELDI) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) are used for the early detection of numerous diseases, for example cervical cancer . A critical step in the analytical process is the optimization of experiment and machine settings to ensure the best possible reproducibility of results, as measured by the CV.

This CDC assay aims to lessen the anti-malarial drug counterfeiting epidemic by testing for the artemisinin-type drugs (the active compound), through the use of a simple, inexpensive colorimetric test. Poor quality and counterfeit drugs pose an immediate threat to public health and undermine malaria control efforts, resulting in resistant-parasites and invalidates effective compounds, i.e.

This CDC-developed technology relates to novel vaccines or boosters directed against pulmonary tuberculosis. There is currently only a single vaccine against tuberculosis, the (Bacillus Calmette-Guérin) BCG vaccine. Reports suggest widely variable effectiveness for the BCG vaccine and that BCG administration has very limited success against prevention of the primary pulmonary form of the disease.

CDC researchers have developed a real-time PCR assay for the detection and viral-load quantitative estimations of human bocavirus (HBoV) from clinical specimens. At present, there have been few reports on the epidemiology, geographic distribution or clinical features of HBoV infection. Additionally, symptoms affiliated with bocavirus infections overlap with numerous other respiratory illnesses. This CDC assay provides sensitive, specific, and quantitative detection of HBoV in patients with respiratory illness by a method of real-time PCR targeting the HBoV NS1 and NP-1 genes.

This CDC developed collection device is a small (approximately 1 cubic foot) open-sided container that attracts mosquitoes seeking a daytime resting location. The container is dark-colored and constructed of molded wood-fiber or recycled, high-density plastic. Mosquitoes that enter the dark space of the container are aspirated through a battery-powered fan into a collection receptacle. The receptacle is especially attractive to Culex and Anopheles mosquitos' vectors of West Nile Virus and malaria parasites, respectively.

CDC and collaborative researchers have developed a device allowing for simultaneous measurement of smooth muscle contractile/relaxant activity and transepithelial potential difference (Vt) [or short circuit currents (Isc)] and resistance (Rt) within an intact airway in vitro. Investigation of the underlying mechanisms of lung diseases, such as asthma or cystic fibrosis, involves understanding the roles of airway smooth muscle and epithelium.

Disease caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States and developing countries. Pneumococcal disease is prevalent among the very young, the elderly and immunocompromised individuals. This invention is an improved, immunogenic peptide construct consisting of a combination of antigenic epitopes of the PsaA (37-kDa) protein from S. pneumoniae.

CDC researchers have developed technology that consists of a simple and inexpensive technique for creating fluorescent labeled primers for nucleic acid amplification. Fluorescent chemical-labeled probes and primers are extensively used in clinical and research laboratories for rapid, real-time detection and identification of microbes and genetic sequences. During nucleic acid amplification, the "UniFluor" primer is incorporated into newly synthesized double stranded DNA.