Anoplocephala perfoliata is a species of parasitic worm that belongs to a group known as cestodes, which specifically target equine animals. As with all types of tapeworms, these parasites infect the gastrointestinal tract of their host, with devastating and potentially fatal consequences. The current lack of a sensitive and specific test for this parasite means that it continues to go undetected, hense this project aims to develop a novel and rapid diagnostic test with high sensitivity and specificity to help increase detection, thus precluding economic loss in the equine industry. The project details the development of three unique detection platforms; an ELISA, a lateral flow assay and an impedimetric immunosensor, aimed to detect IgA in saliva, since IgA is the dominant immunoglobulin of the mucosal immune system. IgA was therefore believed to be the ideal marker for rapid, specific and early indication of infection with A. perfoliata. Diagnosis using saliva samples was an integral part of this project, since it would allow for non-invasive sampling, by non-skilled personnel. A highly sensitive ELISA-based detection system was developed in this project for the detection of 3 different types of IgA. The first ELISA was developed to detect non-specific or ‘total’ IgA levels. Using a sandwich ELISA format, IgA was detectable with a LoD of ~0.04 ng/ml. A second ELISA was developed using the crude excretory/secretory (E/S) antigen, cultured from A. perfoliata worms, which were obtained by a vet during post-mortem examination of infected horses. The crude antigen mix was then used to fabricate an ELISA to detect specific IgA in saliva, produced against the E/S antigens. The crude antigen was then employed in a series of SDS PAGE and western blot experiments, which revealed the 12/13 kDa antigen as the main antigen detected by IgA in saliva. The 12/13 kDa was then electroeluted and used to immunise rabbits, in order to obtain anti-12/13 kDa antibodies, which were later used to purify large quantities of the 12/13 kDa antigen from the crude antigen mix. This allowed for the fabrication of the third and final ELISA, to detect IgA specific to the 12/13 kDa antigen. The 3 ELISAs were optimised throughout this project to ensure the most ideal conditions, such as antibody concentrations, sample dilutions, sample diluents, incubation temperatures and times were employed to obtain maximum assay sensitivity, specificity and productivity in a commercial setting. Testing samples (n = 24) using all 3 ELISAs and then standardising the specific IgA levels against the non-specific IgA, allowed for a novel and reliable detection method for A. perfoliata to be developed. This diagnostic test was developed in partnership with Austin Davis Biologics Ltd., who in April 2014 launched a screening programme which now offers horse owners an accurate means of testing their horses for A. perfoliata infections accurately. The second detection platform developed during this project was a lateral flow assay, whereby an immunochromographic strip was used to measure IgA levels in saliva. The studies performed determined the optimal conditions as using 40 µl of a 1:1,000 dilution of saliva using PBS(T) 1% as the sample diluent. The capture and control antibody were used at a concentration of 0.2 mg/ml, which were coated on the nitrocellulose membrane using an automated dispensing system (BioDot). The conjugate was labelled using gold nanoparticles, since it does not require any substrates or wash steps and its aggregation allows for immediate visual detection. A LoD of ~47 ng/ml was obtained for this assay. The final detection system investigated as part of this project was a label-less impedimetric immunosensor, whereby IgA was detected by means of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Polyaniline was the conductive polymer chosen to coat the surface of the screen printed carbon electrode, since the amine groups could be utilised to immobilise biotin molecules. A biotin-avidin complex was employed to ensure the uniform immobilisation of the capture antibody. Using the capture and control antibody at a concentration of 50 µg/ml and 10 mM ferri-ferrocyanide as the redox solution, IgA concentrations over a range of 100 – 0 ng/ml were investigated by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS).

No description available.

Les béta-lactamines sont les antibiotiques préférentiellement utilisés contre les bactéries Gram négatif responsables d’infections. La dissémination mondiale d’organismes produisant des béta-lactamases à spectre élargi (BLSE) ou des carbapénémases est une préoccupation générale ainsi qu’une menace économique.Parmi ces organismes, les Entérobactéries jouent un rôle important dans les infections nosocomiales (ainsi que les infections communautaires pour E. coli). L’émergence et la dissémination d’Entérobactéries productrices de BLSE (E-BLSE), exprimant principalement des béta-lactamases de la famille des CTX-Ms, et dans une mesure plus inquiétante de carbapénémases (EPC), principalement les enzymes NDM, KPC, IMP, VIM et OXA-48, sont sans le moindre doute un problème de santé publique majeur.Les CTX-Ms hydrolysent les céphalosporines à large spectre et sont les BLSEs principalement rencontrées chez les Entérobactéries lors d’infections urinaires communautaires, mais aussi les bactériémies à E. coli qui peuvent en découler. Ces infections sévères sont traitées avec des carbapénèmes, considérés comme les antibiotiques de dernier recours. Malheureusement, leur utilisation croissante à soumis les entérobactéries à une pression de sélection conduisant à de plus en plus de souches montrant une sensibilité réduite aux carbapénèmes pouvant aboutir à un échec thérapeutique.Si l’on considère les possibilités de traitement limitées pour les E-BLSEs, que les EPCs sont souvent résistantes à plusieurs si ce n’est toutes les classes d’antibiotiques, et que pour certaines peu ou pas de traitements antibiotiques sont disponibles, leur rapide détection et identification sont essentielles. Des tests fiables sont nécessaires pour aider les cliniciens à, rapidement mettre en place des mesures de contrôle de ces infections, adapter les traitements antibiotiques et optimiser les stratégies de soins et leur issue favorable.Lors de la détection des E-BLSEs et des EPCs, il est aussi crucial d’identifier la béta-lactamase impliquée pour la mise en place d’une thérapie adaptée. Les méthodes basées sur la spécificité des anticorps sont sans aucun doute parmi les plus appropriées pour atteindre cet objectif.Pour répondre aux besoins actuels, les méthodes de détection des résistances ont antibiotiques doivent être peu coûteuses (coûts réduits des consommables et des équipements) et facile à mettre en place (technicité faible) pour l’utilisateur. C’est pourquoi nous avons décidé de développer des tests immunochromatographiques qui répondent parfaitement à ce cahier des charges. Pour atteindre cet objectif, nous avons produit des anticorps monoclonaux dirigés contre les CTX-Ms, et les familles de carbapénémases NDM, KPC, et OXA-48. Les tests immuno-chromatographiques correspondants ont été développés et validés. Nos tests sont robustes, facilement transférables dans une version commerciale et stables pour 24 mois sans réfrigération. Ils sont conviviaux, performants en termes de spécificité et sensibilité, et peu couteux, de 7€ (pour un mono-test) à moins de 15€ (pour un multiplex). De plus les résultats sont obtenus dans un court délai sans la nécessité d’un équipement particulier pour la lecture. Nous avons validé un mono-test pour la détection des CTX-Ms du groupe 1, et évalué la détection des groupes 1, 2, 8 et 9 directement dans des échantillons cliniques comme les hémocultures ou l’urine. Des mono-tests pour la détection des NDMs, KPCs et des OXA-48 et un multiplex pour la détection simultanée des cinq principales carbapénémases ont également été validés. Pour ce faire, nous avons utilisés 180 souches isolées sur boites, provenant du Centre National de Référence pour la résistance aux carbapénémases chez les Entérobactéries, dont le contenu en béta-lactamase est caractérisé. / Beta-lactams are antibiotics preferentially used against gram-negative bacilli infections. The worldwide spread of extended spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) or carbapenemase-producing organisms is a global concern and also an economic threat.Within those organisms, Enterobacteriaceae have a major role as causes of nosocomial infections (and, for E. coli, also of community-acquired infections). The emergence and dissemination of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-E), mainly expressing beta-lactamases from the CTX-M family, and in a worrier aspect of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE), mainly NDM, KPC, IMP, VIM and OXA-48 like enzymes, are undoubtedly a matter of great public health concern.CTX-Ms hydrolyze broad-spectrum cephalosporins and are the most encountered BLSE in Enterobacteriaceae, and CTX-Ms producers have been reported as the most prevalent ESBL producers in community-onset urinary tract infections (UTIs). Moreover, CTX-M-producing E.coli are a major cause of bloodstream infections that are often secondary to UTIs. These severe infections are treated with carbapenems, considered as last resort antibiotics. Unfortunately, their increasing use put a selective pressure on Enterobacteriaceae, leading to more and more strains showing decreased susceptibility to carbapenems and potentially leading to therapeutic failure.Considering the limited treatment options for ESBL-E and that CPE are often resistant to several if not all classes of antibiotics, and for which very few (or no) antibiotic options remain available, their rapid detection and identification are essential. Reliable tests are needed to help physicians, to quickly provide appropriate infection control measures, to adapt rapidly antibiotic treatment and optimize care strategies and outcomes.While detecting ESBL-Es or EPCs, it is also crucial to identify the implicated beta-lactamase for accurate therapy implementation. To do so, the antibody-specificity based methods are undoubtedly appropriate. To respond to the current needs, antimicrobial drug resistance detection methods must be cheap (reduced costs of consumables and equipment) and easy to use (reduced technical complexity) for the end user, and LFIAs respond to this requirements. Our objective was to develop such tests, and this led us to produce monoclonal antibodies against CTX-Ms, NDM, KPC, IMP, VIM and OXA-48 carbapenemase families and to develop and validate the corresponding LFIAs. Our tests are robust assays, easily transferable in a commercialized version, stable for more than 24 months without refrigeration, user-friendly (no requirement of trained staff), high performance (sensitive and specific), low cost, from 7€ (monotest) to less than 15€ (multiplex). Moreover, the detection results are obtained in short delay without the need for highly technical equipment for the readout.Here, we validated a LFIA for the detection of CTX-Ms (from group 1) and to a wider extent evaluated the direct detection of CTX-Ms from groups 1, 2, 8 and 9 in clinical samples such as blood culture and urine. Mono-tests to detect NDMs and OXA-48-like, and a multiplex for the simultaneous detection of the five main carbapenemases were also validated. These validations were conducted using 180 well characterized isolates in terms of their -lactamase content from the French National Reference Centre for carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae.

Chlamydia trachomatis accounts for 3.6% of blindness worldwide, and is the leading cause of bacterial-induced blindness in the world. With the subtle initial presentation of the disease and the difficulty in clearing the infection without the aid of antibiotics, C. trachomatis can spread rapidly following introduction into a population. This problem is further compounded in resource limited areas due to the lack of trained personnel (i.e. Medical Doctors, Nurses), equipment, and finances to test and treat large portions of the population. A testing method that is both cheap and easy to interpret is necessary. Lateral flow assays (LFA) have been used for years to evaluate pregnancy status in the developed world, and their low cost, ease of use and disposable nature make them a worthwhile candidate, but the current use of visual reporters (i.e. gold or latex nanoparticles) does not allow for adequate sensitivity for true clinical use. Fluorescent reporters, particularly fluorescent nanoparticles, would lower the limit of detection (LOD) and allow for the detection of acute and subclinical infections, which would allow for an effective and objective screening method for trachoma and many other diseases. An effective, rapid, and disposable test would allow for mass screening to be implemented which, in turn, would allow for rapid and targeted treatment. The results in this study show that the use of fluorescent-based reporters greatly improve the LOD of the LFA, with both FITC and RuSNP reporters showing a reduction in the LOD by 1 and 2.5 logs respectively when compared to traditional colorimetric reporters. This substantial improvement in the LOD of the LFA allows for the tests to be used to detect relevant levels of viral pathogens. A similar improvement in the LOD was seen when using FITC-labeled antibodies which improved the sensitivity of LFAs with regards to the detection of C. trachomatis. The use of fluorescent-based reporters in LFAs greatly improves the LOD for both viruses and bacteria, allowing for their detection at clinically relevant levels.

Dengue virus (DENV) is the causative agent of a mosquito-transmitted disease mainly in tropical regions of the earth. Dengue is commonly diagnosed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); however, these diagnostic methods both require complicated blood sample preparation, highly trained personnel, and centralized laboratory facilities, all of which are difficult to realize in many clinical settings where resources are limited. In the current study, a novel ultra-sensitive dendrimer-aptamer-based lateral flow assay (LFA) is designed to detect the presence of the DENV by detecting the envelope protein (E-Protein) of the DENV in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) buffer and bovine serum albumin (BSA) sample. To achieve this, a “bioink”, a muti-handled streptavidin-dendrimer-aptamer conjugation is used to construct the modified test line in order to enhance the capturing efficiency of the signaling gold nanoparticle complexes on the test line. This work is the first time reported aptamer-based LFA of dengue virus detection. Our results show that the new LFA has a limit of detection of 24 pg/mL when tested using samples in PBS buffer (27 pg/mL in BSA solution), which is more sensitive that of a parallel ELISA test of 32 pg/mL and about ten-fold more sensitive than a conventional aptamer-based LFA. In addition, the new LFA shows that no non-specific binding with other E-protein in the flavivirus family and exhibits a long shelf-time for more than five weeks when stored in ambient conditions under subdued light. It can be concluded that the use of “bioink” -- a streptavidin-dendrimer-aptamer -- complex on the T-line can significantly enhance the detection sensitivity of the LFA assay. As a result, it is perceivable that the intrinsic portable, rapid, user-friendly, and cost-effective natures of LFAs in combination with the enhanced sensitivity due to the special fishnet-liked design will find broader applications for the LFAs as an effective and sufficiently sensitive diagnostic tool in many resources limited clinical settings.

Lateral flow biosensors are analytical devices that detect biomaterials with physicochemical signals, such as optical signals. Unlike other biosensors, lateral flow biosensors are based on porous membranes, which use capillary force to transport biomaterials spontaneously. However, lateral flow biosensors are fabricated in batch mode, which means that membranes need to be cut from the rolls, pretreated, and assembled using a step-by-step process. Thus, there is a need for a more efficient manufacturing process. This thesis aims to accelerate the fabrication process by developing a method wherein the whole device is printed directly, including the printable substrates, as well as by developing a clog-free process for depositing expensive reagents. These novel printable porous media were developed using printing inks that contained various pigments and polymer binders. To this end, candidate formulations were screened from nine hundred inks formulations via wicking experiments. The results of these tests showed that the most promising formulations were based on calcium carbonates and latex polymers. This formulation was then used to develop printable porous media that can easily be printed into complex patterns, with changeable wicking speeds within each pattern. In addition, a bio- colorimetric assay of alkaline phosphates conducted on these porous media showed strong color signals that were comparable to the traditional membrane-based lateral flow strips. Clog-free printing processes were investigated by using a piezoelectric inkjet printer to print silica sols and six nanoparticle inks. The results of these tests showed that the vibration of the piezoelectric layer and the deposition of particles on the printhead surfaces induced clogging issues. Over time, the silica sols formed multilayer deposits on the print head surface, which subsequently detached due to the vibration of the piezoelectric layer. Consequently, these large sheets of silica clogged the nozzles during printing. This clogging issue was eliminated by adjusting the pH value of the silica sol inks to 3.1. The hydrophobic cationic polystyrene nanoparticles form a sub-monolayer on the printhead surface, which causes air entrainment and promotes air bubble adhesion into the interior of the print head surface when the piezoelectric layer deforms. Thus, alternate surface chemistries for the print head and ink particle surfaces may be required in order to print hydrophobic ink materials. Overall, this enhanced understanding of these clogging mechanisms helps to explain why printer performance varies when different particles are used. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Many devices in our day-to-day lives incorporate lateral flow biosensors, for example, home pregnancy test kits. These tests allow users to obtain results within 30 minutes by simply applying a few droplets of urine onto a test strip. However, these biosensors are largely manufactured using manual processes: workers cut strips (also called substrates) from sheets, deposit reagents onto the strips, and then assemble the pretreated strips into devices. As such, these processes are time consuming and less productive. To accelerate the manufacturing process, we developed printable porous substrates and a clog-free printing process for depositing expensive reagents onto the substrates. Novel porous media can be flexibly printed into complex patterns using pigment- based inks. Moreover, the use of different pigments within the designed patterns enables these porous media to control wicking velocity. In addition to printable porous substrates, the research in this thesis shows that the manufacturing process can be improved by using piezoelectric inkjet printers. The use of these printers not only allows the expensive reagents to be precisely deposited onto the substrates, but it also offers a more cost-effective method of doing so. Finally, in order to ensure the printing process remained clog-free, we systematically investigated clogging mechanisms by printing with different polymers and nanoparticles.

Nitrocellulose is currently the most common porous material used in commercially available lateral flow assays. It is, however, unsafe to manufacture and time consuming to incorporate into multi-component assay devices. Precipitated calcium carbonate is a material produced from naturally occurring lime that can be suspended in a binder and extruded onto a surface. This extruded suspension forms a porous coating through which a solution can be wicked. The physical characteristics of three different types of calcium carbonate types were investigated to determine differences that may yield better lateral flow. The capillary flow rate through the coating was found to be largely affected by the calcium carbonate type used, the binder concentration and whether any post-printing treatment was applied, specifically heating the print. Calcium carbonate has a high specific surface area, which results in a high protein binding capacity. To prevent protein binding, pre-treating calcium carbonate particles prior to forming the suspension in a binder was attempted. Pre-treatment with bovine serum albumin, casein or methoxy-PEG phosphate did not show prevention of protein binding. Furthermore, by treating the calcium carbonate particles with a protein before suspension formulation, the wicking rate after printing was found to be diminished. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

Die COVID-19-Pandemie machte deutlich, wie wichtig die Verfügbarkeit eines Schnelltests für ein funktionierendes Gesundheitssystem ist. Mit dieser einfachen Technologie kann die Unsicherheit in den unterschiedlichen und teils kontroversen statistischen Kennzahlen signifikant verringert werden. Immunoassays wie LFIA, FPIA und ELISA (Lateral Flow Immunoassay, Fluoreszenzpolarisationsimmunoassay und Enzymimmunoassay) werden in der Diagnostik und der Umweltanalyse eingesetzt. Die Verwendung von LFIA für ein Screening vor Ort bietet eine Alternative zu instrumentellen Methoden sowie komplizierteren Immunoassay-Formaten und liefert innerhalb von 10 bis 15 Minuten Ergebnisse. Verfahren mit Membranen als feste Träger erlauben parallele Assays in derselben Probe. In dieser Arbeit wurden Latex-Mikropartikel-basierte und Gold-Nanopartikel-basierte LFIAs zum Nachweis von Bisphenol A (BPA) entwickelt. Ein Ziel der Arbeit war die Entwicklung von Nitrocellulose-Membranen, Konjugatpads, Membranbehandlungen sowie einer geeigneten LFIA-Vorbehandlung zwecks Optimierung. Die Ergebnisse eines LFIA-Tests können sowohl mit bloßem Auge als auch instrumentell interpretiert werden. Die visuelle Nachweisgrenze (vLOD) wurde bei 10 μg/L gefunden, die berechnete instrumentelle Nachweisgrenze (cLOD) war 0,14 μg/L. Die Synthese der Haptenproteinkonjugate und deren weitere Bewertung in einem ELISA-Aufbau führte zu einem hochempfindlichen Assay mit einer Nachweisgrenze von 0,05 μg/L. Zusätzlich wurde ein Mix-and-Read-FPIA zur Bestimmung von BPA entwickelt. Dafür wurden neue Tracer-Moleküle, welche Fluorophore mit Derivaten des Analyten verbinden, einschließlich eines C6-Spacers (Ahx) synthetisiert. Der Einfluss der Ahx-Tracer-Brückenlänge auf die Assay-Empfindlichkeit wurde abgeschätzt, die Nachweisgrenze lag bei 1,0 μg/L mit einem Arbeitsbereich von 2 bis 155 μg/L. Die Methoden wurden für reale Proben gegen LC-MS/MS als Referenzmethode mit guter Übereinstimmung mit LFIA, FPIA und ELISA validiert. / The COVID-19 pandemic made it obvious how important the availability of a rapid test is for an efficient healthcare system. This simple technology can significantly reduce the uncertainty in the various and sometimes highly controversial statistical figures of a pandemic. Immunoassays, like LFIA, FPIA and ELISA (lateral flow immunoassay, fluorescence polarization immunoassay, enzyme immunoassay) are used in diagnostics and environmental analysis. The use of LFIA for on-site screening is an alternative to instrumental methods and to more sophisticated immunoassay formats. Results from LFIA are obtained within 10 to 15 min. Methods that use membranes as solid supports allow parallel assays to be performed in the same sample. In this work, latex microparticles-based and gold nanoparticles-based LFIAs for a rapid detection of bisphenol A (BPA) were developed. The work focused on the search for suitable nitrocellulose membranes, conjugate pads, membrane treatments, as well as for a proper LFIA pretreatment to optimize the performance. The results of an LFIA test can be interpreted both by naked eye and instrumentally. The visual limit of detection (vLOD) was found to be 10 μg/L, the calculated instrumental limit of detection (cLOD) was 0.14 μg/L. The synthesis of the required hapten-protein conjugates and further evaluation in an ELISA setup resulted in a highly sensitive assay with a limit of detection of 0.05 μg/L. Additionally, a mix-and-read FPIA for determination of BPA was developed. Here, new tracer molecules that link fluorophores to derivatives of the analyte were synthesized, including a C6 spacer (Ahx). The influence of the Ahx tracer bridge length on the assay sensitivity was estimated. The limit of detection was 1.0 μg/L with a working range from 2 to 155 μg/L. The methods were validated for real samples against LC-MS/MS as reference method with good agreement with LFIA, FPIA, and ELISA.

<div>The eradication of yaws a neglected tropical disease caused by Treponema pallidum subsp. pertenue, which affects children living in very deprived hard to reach rural communities is constrained by the lack of rapid, accurate diagnosis. I sought to develop a molecular point-of-care test for the diagnosis of yaws. A Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay with primers targeting the conserved gene, tp0967, with visual detection by lateral flow test strip was developed and optimized. The limit of detection was evaluated while 63 samples from clinical cases of yaws and 5 samples with PCR-confirmed syphilis were used to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the assay compared to the current molecular testing protocol. Reagents were dried in tubes and tested up to 14 days. The developed LAMP assay was found to be optimal when run at 65oC in a water bath for 30 minutes. The limit of detection was 2.7*104 DNA copies/ml. The sensitivity of the LAMP assay using unextracted and DNA extracted samples were 0.67 and 1.00 respectively. None of the syphilis samples tested positive in any of the assays. We show the development of a fast and sensitive LAMP assay for yaws detected by lateral flow test strip. Using extracted DNA, the assay sensitivity is at par with gold standard detection. The assay can be adapted to minimal sample processing required for in-field detection without DNA extraction.</div><div><br></div>

No description available.