Comparison of Biosafety and Diagnostic Utility of Biosample Collection Cards.

Six different biosample collection cards, often collectively referred to as FTA (Flinders Technology Associates) cards, were compared for their ability to inactivate viruses and stabilize viral nucleic acid for molecular testing. The cards were tested with bluetongue virus, foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), small ruminant morbillivirus (peste des petits ruminants virus), and lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), encompassing non-enveloped and enveloped representatives of viruses with double-stranded and single-stranded RNA genomes, as well as an enveloped DNA virus. The cards were loaded with virus-containing cell culture supernatant and tested after one day, one week, and one month.

Full-Length Genomic RNA of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus Is Infectious for Cattle by Injection.

Safe sample transport is of great importance for infectious diseases diagnostics. Various treatments and buffers are used to inactivate pathogens in diagnostic samples. At the same time, adequate sample preservation, particularly of nucleic acids, is essential to allow an accurate laboratory diagnosis.

Proof of Proficiency of Decentralized Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus Diagnostics in Germany.

A proficiency test was performed to verify that the regional veterinary laboratories in Germany can provide reliable foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) diagnostics. Overall, 24 samples were to be analyzed for FMDV-specific nucleic acids by real-time RT-PCR, and 16 samples had to be tested by ELISA for antibodies against non-structural proteins of FMDV. For both methods, a range of dilutions of the original materials (inactivated FMDV vaccine or convalescent serum from infected animals, respectively) was prepared, and negative samples were included as well.

Chemical inactivation of foot-and-mouth disease virus in bovine tongue epithelium for safe transport and downstream processing.

Epithelial tissue or vesicular fluid from an unruptured or recently ruptured vesicle is the sample of choice for confirmatory laboratory diagnosis of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). However, in 'FMD-free' countries the transport and downstream processing of such samples from potentially infected animals present a biosafety risk, particularly during heightened surveillance, potentially involving decentralised testing in laboratories without adequate biocontainment facilities. In such circumstances, rapid inactivation of virus, if present, prior to transport becomes a necessity, while still maintaining the integrity of diagnostic analytes.

Experimental evaluation of icodextrin delivery as pressurized aerosol (PIPAC): Antiadhesive and cytotoxic effects.

Background: Icodextrin (IDX) is an antiadhesive polymer that can be used as a carrier solution for intraperitoneal (IP) delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs.

Methods: We investigated the suitability of IDX solution as a carrier of Cisplatin and Doxorubicin for delivery as pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy (PIPAC). We examined the sprayability of IDX, the aerosol characteristics, the stability of the molecule after aerosolization, the effects of IDX on the adhesion of MKN45 human gastric cancer cells, the synergistic effect of aerosolized IDX with Cisplatin and Doxorubicin, and the chemical stability of IDX, Cisplatin, and Doxorubicin in combination.