SIMULTANEOUS GENOMIC DETECTION OF MULTIPLE ENTERIC BACTERIAL AND VIRAL PATHOGENS, INCLUDING SARS-CoV and RVFV

A multiplexed screening system to detect pathogenicity islands (PI) of bacteria causing enteric disease and pathogenicity factors (PF) associated with the SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Rift Valley Fever Virus (RVFV) has been developed. This system is based upon the Luminex xMAPTM System, a multiplexed assay platform that combines high sample throughput (up to 600 samples/hour) with high information content per sample (up to 100 parameters tested simultaneously per sample). Pathogenic bacteria contain DNA sequences (pathogenicity islands) that code for proteins enhancing the ability of the bacteria to cause disease in the host. These virulence determinants may enhance binding of the bacterium to host tissues, increase the uptake of necessary nutrients from the environment into the bacterium, or function as toxins that cause the survival of the host cell to become compromised. Whereas viruses do not possess pathogenicity islands, they do possess genomic sequences (PF) that are associated with their pathogenicity. By quickly screening for multiple pathogenicity island and factor sequences, end-users will have the capability to detect the first signs of an enteric or viral bioattack without requiring screening for a particular organism. This detection system will have hundreds of probes (multiplexed), so false positives and false negatives can be reduced and managed.