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This invention relates to methods of rapidly detecting influenza, including differentiating between type and subtype. Unlike culture and serological tests requiring 5 to 14 days for completion, CDC researchers developed a rapid, accurate assay, which is easily adapted to kit form. This assay also requires less labor input than immunoassays. These methods can be used to quickly identify a broad variety of influenza types and subtypes, including viruses that may be involved in pandemics (such as H5N1, for example).

CDC researchers have characterized epitopes of Bacillus anthracis Lethal Factor (LF), a critical component of the B. anthracis lethal toxin. These epitopes may allow for development of therapeutics for the treatment or prevention of B. anthracis infection. They may also allow screening for B. anthracis LF in a sample and development of a peptide anthrax vaccine.

This invention pertains to nucleic acid-based assays for the detection of Aspergillus and other filamentous fungi. Assays cover the species-specific detection and diagnosis of infection by Aspergillus, Fusarium, Mucor, Penecillium, Rhizomucor, Absidia, Cunninghamella, Pseudallescheria or Sporthrix in a subject. This can reduce identification time from several days by conventional culture methods to a matter of hours.

This invention relates to detecting Histoplasma capsulatum by PCR using oligonucleotide probes specific for the fungus. Histoplasmosis is a mycotic infection of varying severity, usually localized in the lungs. Caused by H. capsulatum, infections are usually symptomatic but can develop into chronic disease, especially in immunocompromised individuals.

This invention, entailsnucleic acid-based assays, for detecting the presence of pathogenic fungi such as Histoplasma capsulatum, Blastomyces dermatitidis, Coccidioides immitis, Pneumocystis brasiliensis, and/or Penicillium marneffei within a sample. Within a healthcare setting, this particular approach can greatly reduce pathogen identification time, better direct treatments and ultimately improve patient outcomes.

This invention relates to assays for the detection and species-specific identification of Aspergillus fungi. Accurate clinical diagnosis of Aspergillus species has become increasingly important as certain species, such as A. terreus and A. fumigatus, are resistant to specific commonly employed antifungal compounds. Most contemporary fungal diagnostic methods are time-consuming and inaccurate.

This invention pertains to the development of oligonucleotides for the rapid nucleic acid-based identification of Candida or Aspergillus fungi species in biological samples. This identification is accomplished by the targeting the internally transcribed spacer-2 (ITS2) region that are unique to various Candida species. The assay is sensitive, specific and rapid. Implementation of the technology will facilitate earlier specific diagnoses, and lead to better antifungal therapy implementation for infected patients.

This CDC invention is a method for identifying and quantifying a group of proteins in a complex mixture by a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry assay. The technology was developed for influenza although it can be used for a wide variety of protein quantification applications. As specifically developed, conserved peptides from the proteins of influenza (hemagglutinin, neuramidase, matrix 1 and 2, and nucleoprotein) have been synthesized and labeled to be used as internal standards for the quantification of those proteins in a complex (biological or manufactured) matrix.

This invention pertains to the development of oligonucleotides for the rapid nucleic acid-based identification of the Candida fungi species C. haemulonii, C. kefyr, C. lambica, C. lusitaniae, C. norvegensis, C. norvegica, C. rugosa, C. utilis, C. viswanathii, C. zeylanoides, C. dubliniensis, and C. pelliculosa within biological samples. This identification is accomplished by the targeting the internally transcribed spacer-2 (ITS2) region that are specific for each species.

CDC researchers have developed monoclonal antibodies useful as diagnostics for diisocyanate (dNCO) exposure and for toxicity characterization of specific dNCOs. Currently, dNCOs are used in the production of all polyurethane products and are the most commonly reported cause of occupational-induced asthma and also linked to allergic contact dermatitis. Presumptive diagnosis of dNCO asthma is presently dependent on criteria such as work history, report of work-related asthma-like symptoms and nonspecific airway reactivity to methacholine challenge.