Assay for transmissible spongiform encephalopathies

• Main Author: BASTIAN FRANK O
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 15.02.2011
• Subjects: BEER; BIOCHEMISTRY; CHEMISTRY; COMPOSITIONS OR TEST PAPERS THEREFOR; CONDITION-RESPONSIVE CONTROL IN MICROBIOLOGICAL ORENZYMOLOGICAL PROCESSES; DERIVATIVES THEREOF; ENZYMOLOGY; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; MEASURING; MEASURING OR TESTING PROCESSES INVOLVING ENZYMES, NUCLEICACIDS OR MICROORGANISMS; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; METALLURGY; MICROBIOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; NUCLEIC ACIDS; NUCLEOSIDES; NUCLEOTIDES; ORGANIC CHEMISTRY; PEPTIDES; PHYSICS; PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL, OR TOILET PURPOSES; PROCESSES OF PREPARING SUCH COMPOSITIONS; SPIRITS; SUGARS; TESTING; VINEGAR; WINE

Provided is a novel method for detecting Transmissible Spongiform encephalopathies (TSE). The method comprises: selecting a body fluid sample from a subject to determine whether the subject has transmissible spongiform encephalopathy; and detecting antibodies that immune react with Spiroplasma proteins in the sample. The method detects antibodies in the individual sera samples that react with recombinant Spiroplasma-specific Hsp60 by standard ELISA methodology. This method provides for rapid detection of TSE by determination of presence of antibodies in test samples showing associated Spiroplasma infection that has become consistent with presence of TSE. The method provides a mechanism to detect presence of TSE without invasive techniques currently needed to make diagnosis using brain tissues for prion detection. This method provides means of detection of TSE in the live patient without need for using necropsy tissues. This method provides the first method discovered that detects antibodies against TSE infection-specific proteins in serum or cerebrospinal fluid or other body fluid samples.