Sero-Reactive Coccidioides Antigens for Uniform Valley Fever Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for diagnosing coccidioidomycosis, or valley fever, rely on Coccidioides lysates that vary in sero-reactivity, leading to lot-to-lot variation in test preparation and patient prognosis, necessitating a uniform and quantifiable method for sero-reactive testing.
Innovation Solution
The use of specific proteins and antibodies, such as woronin body major protein, endochitinase-1, and others, to detect interactions in serum samples for diagnosing valley fever through assays like lateral flow immunoassay and ELISA, providing a consistent and reliable diagnostic approach.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If Coccidioides lysates are used for diagnostic testing, then the tests can detect valley fever, but lot-to-lot variation in sero-reactivity occurs leading to inconsistent test preparation and patient prognosis
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts specific proteins (endochitinase-1, endo-1,3-beta-glucanase, peroxisomal matrix protein, and hypothetical protein) from the complex Coccidioides lysate mixture. By isolating and using only these specific sero-reactive proteins as antigens in diagnostic tests, the invention eliminates the lot-to-lot variation inherent in whole lysate preparations while maintaining the ability to detect valley fever antibodies.
2Manufacturing precision
If specific proteins are used instead of Coccidioides lysates, then manufacturing precision and uniformity improve, but the complexity of identifying and producing specific proteins increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary identification and characterization of sero-reactive proteins before they are used in diagnostic testing. Through screening and validation studies, the specific proteins (endochitinase-1, endo-1,3-beta-glucanase, peroxisomal matrix protein, and hypothetical protein) are pre-selected and characterized for their antibody-binding properties. This preliminary work establishes a standardized antigen panel that can be consistently produced and tested, reducing the complexity of subsequent diagnostic test manufacturing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method offers a uniform and quantifiable way to detect valley fever, improving diagnostic accuracy and patient prognosis by identifying specific antibody-protein interactions, reducing variability in test results.
Implementation Method 1
detecting an interaction between an antibody in the serum and the one or more proteins; thereby detecting the presence of the antibody in the serum of the subject
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides devices and methods for diagnosing and treating Coccidioides infection (valley fever). In some embodiments, the invention provides methods for identifying antigens useful in preparing similar devices for diagnosis of other pathogens of interest.