Beyond Clinical Diagnostics
Forays into food diagnostics
    Scott Ballard is director of business development for Centrus International Inc. (Kingsport, TN). . In last month's issue, IVD Technology noted the launch of Centrus International Inc. (Kingsport, TN), a subsidiary of Eastman Chemical Co. focused on food safety diagnostics. Centrus joins a market segment already filled with such industry stalwarts as bioMérieux Inc. (Marcy l'Etoile, France); Dade Behring Inc. (Deerfield, IL); and Fischer Scientific...
A protein-binding ligand systemfor prion disease detection
    Figure 1. A schematic illustration of the Seprion assay for rogue prion protein (click to enlarge). The detection of prion diseases in animals and their diagnosis and treatment in human medicine is an area of recent intense scientific investigation. Tests are now available for brain tissue testing, and rapid progress is expected in the development of improved diagnostic technologies for detecting the presence of the infectious agent (the prion, a protein particle lacking...
Diagnostics neglected in biodefense directive
Even though the government does not fully recognize the important role of diagnostics as a part of biodefense efforts, some biodefense diagnostics have been developed such as the handheld advanced nucleic acid analyzer (HANAA) by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (Livermore, CA). President Bush recently approved a directive that provides a framework for the nation’s biodefense program. While the directive does cover various medical and public health issues, it fails to...
Working together on biodefense
The Bush administration’s recent attempt to boost the nation’s biodefense efforts demonstrates its myopia about the need for biodefense diagnostics (see News, p. 12).  Effective biodefense diagnostics should be considered a critically important element in the fight against bioterrorism, enabling first responders to determine whether a bioterrorist pathogen has been released and to identify that pathogen. Unfortunately, this simple concept seems to have escaped administration...
Developing IVDs for defense
    Bill Colston, PhD, is associate program leader of the chemical and biological nonproliferation program at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (Livermore, CA) and adjunct professor in the department of hematology and oncology at the University of  California, Davis Medical Center (Davis, CA). He can be reached at colston1@llnl.gov.   Not only can IVDs serve to alert a physician to a pathogen’s attack on a patient’s body, they can also...
Developing and validating a lateral-flow cassette for fertility diagnostics in bulls
    A diagnostic cassette manufactured by Midland Bioproducts (Boone, IA) provides chute-side detection of a seminal protein related to the fertility of bulls. The fertility of cattle is more important to profitability than any other factor. For example, in 2001, 38 million calves were born on approximately 800,000 ranches in the United States. With a profit margin of $100 per calf, a 1% increase in the birth rate would translate into an additional $38 million earned....
Bird flu highlights need for rapid tests
Outbreaks of avian influenza demonstrate the importance of having effective tests for detecting the virus. The recent outbreaks of avian influenza in Asia have caused considerable concern and brought forth the need for continued vigilance in testing for the virus. U.S. government officials have realized this need and have been working on tests that are more effective in diagnosing avian flu. Last December, government authorities in South Korea first reported an epidemic of highly...
Fighting bioterrorism—and more
Since the attacks of September 11, 2001, and the anthrax incidents that followed, U.S. government agencies have significantly increased the amounts of funding and other resources devoted to preparing an effective defense against the threat of bioterrorism. IVD companies have been especially close to the front lines of this effort, helping to develop technologies that can detect the presence of bioterrorism agents in the event of an  actual attack. It’s no accident that IVD companies...
USDA to expand its BSE surveillance program
With the discovery of a bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)–positive cow in Washington state last December 23rd, the United States lost its BSE-free status. The loss of several U.S. beef importing partners, a fall in domestic beef prices, and a decline in consumer confidence followed.  Part of USDA’s plan to eradicate BSE is an increase in surveillance testing. The question now is, even with this increase, will its surveillance program be wide enough to truly reveal...
Better homeland defense through better diagnostics
Bruce J. Tedeschi is chief executive officer at Collaborative Genetics Inc. (Rexburg, ID). He can be reached at btedeschi@collaborativegenetics.com Biological pathogens have been used as weapons for centuries. Using pathogens for terrorist purposes started in the sixth century BC, when the Assyrians poisoned the wells of their enemies, and continues up to the present day. In November 2001, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC; Atlanta) reported 21 anthrax cases from the...