IT IS THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROPOSED PHASE I EFFORT TO DEVELOP A RAPID, SENSITIVE ASSAY FOR DETECTION OF CYTOMEGALOVIRUS IN THE BLOOD, SALIVA, OR URINE OF HUMAN SUBJECTS USING THE CAPELISA SYSTEM DEVELOPED AT MICROBIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATES, INC.

IT IS THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROPOSED PHASE I EFFORT TO DEVELOP A RAPID, SENSITIVE ASSAY FOR DETECTION OF CYTOMEGALOVIRUS IN THE BLOOD, SALIVA, OR URINE OF HUMAN SUBJECTS USING THE CAPELISA SYSTEM DEVELOPED AT MICROBIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATES, INC. THIS SYSTEM PLACES THE ANTIGEN AND ANTIBODY INTO AN ENVIRONMENT WHICH DECREASES THE DEPENDENCE OF THE REACTION ON TEMPERATURE AND TIME. IT ALSO UTILIZES THE STRONG ATTRACTION BIOTIN HAS FOR AVIDIN TO INCREASE SENSITIVITY. THE CAPELISA UTILIZES A PLASTIC CAPILLARY TUBE TO WHICH CAPTURE ANTIBODY IS BOUND. SAMPLE CONTAINING ANTIGEN IS DRAWN INTO THE SENSITIZED TUBE AND INCUBATED FOR A SHORT TIME. AFTER WASHING, BIOTIN-LABELED ANTIBODY IS ADDED, INCUBATED, AND UNBOUND BIOTIN CONJUGATE THEN WASHED OUT. AVIDIN-LABELED ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE (AFOS) IS ADDED. AFTER WASHING, THE PRESENCE OF BOUND AFOS IS DETECTED BY CONVERSION OF 4-METHYLUMBELLIFERYL PHOSPHATE TO FLUORESCENT METHYLUMBELLIFERYL. FLUORESCENCE CAN BE DETECTED WITH A SIMPLE HAND-HELD BLACK LIGHT OR MEASURED IN FLUORESCENCE UNITS ON A FLUOROMETER. THE APPLICATION OF THIS SYSTEM TO DETECT OTHER IMPORTANT ANTIGENS, SUCH AS HTLV-III, IS POSSIBLE.