Development of a field-usable diagnostic device for the detection of Leishmania parasites in Sand flies.

VecTOR Test Systems, Inc. proposes to develop and produce the VecTOR Leishmania antigen assay, a field usable assay for detection of Leishmania parasites in sand fly vectors. The proposed assays will be performed in a rapid, one-step immuno-chromatographic process for detection and identification of various Leishmania sp such as L. major, L donovani, and other epidemiologically relevant species in vectoring sand-flies. The technology is based on the simple and reliable wicking immuno-chromatographic detection method by which sensitive test-strip based assays provide results in less than 30 minutes. The proposed dipstick assays will be stable at ambient storage conditions. During Phase I, a sufficient number of tests will be produced for laboratory and preliminary field evaluation. The proposed VecTOR Antigen assays will add to the new vector diagnostic tests and complement the VecTOR Dengue, Japanese Encephalitis and Ross River Virus Antigen assays in development and the commercially available VecTestTM (VecTest is a trademark of Medical Analysis Systems, Inc) panel or individual rapid assay for detection of mosquito-borne pathogens such as Malaria (Plasmodium falciparum and vivax CS Panel assays), Encephalitis (SLE, WEE, EEE) and West Nile virus antigen assays.