Molecular Characteristics of in Ticks Collected along the Southern Border of Mongolia.

Tick-borne infections are a significant threat to public health, particularly in regions where individuals frequently enter tick habitats. Roughly 26% of the population in Mongolia practice nomadic pastoralism and are considered at high risk of exposure to ticks and the diseases they carry. This study tested ticks from Mongolia's southern border for spp.

Development of a bead-based immunoassay using virus-like particles for detection of alphaviral humoral response.

There is a pressing need for sustainable and sensitive immunodiagnostics for use in public health efforts to understand and combat the threat of endemic and emerging infectious diseases. In this proof-of-concept work, we describe an immunodiagnostic approach based on the utilization of virus-like particles (VLPs) in a magnetic bead-based platform for multiplexed detection of antiviral humoral response. A retroviral-based VLP, that presents Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus E1/E2 glycoprotein antigen on its surface, was synthesized and coupled to magnetic beads to create VLP-conjugated microspheres (VCMs).

Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus, Mongolia, 2013-2014.

During 2013-2014, we collected 1,926 serum samples from humans and 4,583 ticks (Hyalomma asiaticum or Dermacentor nuttalli) in select regions of Mongolia to determine the risk for Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) infection among humans in this country. Testing of human serum samples by ELISA demonstrated an overall CCHFV antibody prevalence of 1.4%; Bayankhongor Province had the highest prevalence, 2.

Corning HYPERFlask for viral amplification and production of diagnostic reagents.

Viral preparations are essential components in diagnostic research and development. The production of large quantities of virus traditionally is done by infecting numerous tissue culture flasks or roller bottles, which require large incubators and/or roller bottle racks. The Corning HYPERFlask is a multilayer flask that uses a gas permeable film to provide gas exchange between the cells and culture medium and the atmospheric environment.

Comparison of MagPix Assays and Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for Detection of Hemorrhagic Fever Viruses.

Viral hemorrhagic fevers, because of their high mortality rates, the lack of medical countermeasures, and their potential use as instruments of bioterrorism, pose a significant threat to the developed and the developing areas of the world. The key to preventing the spread of these diseases is early and accurate detection. For decades, the gold-standard immunoassay for hemorrhagic fever detection has been the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); however, newer technologies are emerging with increased sensitivities.

Serosurveillance of viral pathogens circulating in West Africa.

Background: Sub-Saharan Africa is home to a variety of pathogens, but disease surveillance and the healthcare infrastructure necessary for proper management and control are severely limited. Lassa virus, the cause of Lassa fever, a severe hemorrhagic fever in humans is endemic in West Africa. In Sierra Leone at the Kenema Government Hospital Lassa Diagnostic Laboratory, up to 70 % of acute patient samples suspected of Lassa fever test negative for Lassa virus infection.