USDA, ARS, Midwest Area – “A Field-Deployable Fluorescence-Based Sensor Excited"

Summary:
PRRSV infection can be detected by virus isolation, serology, immunohistochemistry (IHC), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and in situ hybridization (ISH). There are advantages and disadvantages to each of these tests; however, none of them are of a configuration that is easily deployable outside of a diagnostic laboratory. Recently, a new type of technology has been incorporated into a sensing device and applied toward the detection of various proteins and toxins. The goal of this study is to utilize this sensing technology to develop a novel, improved PRRSV diagnostic method that will result in an inexpensive, compact, field-deployable photoluminescence-based sensor for direct detection of PRRSV antigen, protein(s) or nucleic acid.

Objective:
The objectives of the proposed research are to design and construct a photoluminescence-based sensor for detection of PRRSV antigen, nucleic acid and antibody, evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the sensor utilizing PRRSV-spiked samples and evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the sensor on tissue samples collected from pigs experimentally infected with PRRSV.

Relevance:
Detection of swine pathogens and specific antibodies is expensive, laborious, requires sophisticated laboratory equipment and considerable technical skill. The goal of this research proposal is to provide a “proof of concept” for the application of a novel technology to swine diagnostics. The novel technology is a sensor that has the potential to be compact, field-deployable, user friendly, sensitive and inexpensive.