NOVEL ASSAY FOR MEASUREMENT OF ENDOTOXIN

DESCRIPTION (Adapted from the Applicant's Abstract): This proposal discusses the production and implementation of peptide/recombinant antigens for the development of a serological assay for the diagnosis of human babesiosis, a tick-borne disease. Increased surveillance of tick borne infections has shown that many individuals infected with Lyme disease have co-infections with Babesia microti (agent of human babesiosis) and Ehrlichia both of which are potentially fatal in immunocompromised individuals any may impact blood transfusions. Since the treatment of B. microti infections (malaria-like intraerythrocytic parasite) is vastly different to Lyme disease there is a need for an accurate serology test to differentiate the two infections. B. microti specific peptides/recombinants will be used alone or in combination to develop an assay to supplement the currently available Lyme disease test. Development of specific antigens for B. microti for use in diagnosis improves our ability to detect tick-borne diseases and facilitates administration of the appropriate treatment. Advances have already been achieved at Corixa in identifying immunodominant recombinant antigens. This in combination with a collaboration with key investigator in the area of tick-borne diseases and access to an extensive serum bank accumulated through work on other infectious disease programs should enable the goals and objectives of this proposal to be achieved. $ = TOTAL AWARD AMTS & NOT LIMITED TO PORTION OF PROJECT RELATED TO SUBJECT OF SEARCH SUBPROJECT $ = TOTAL AWARD AMOUNT DIVIDED BY NUMBER OF SUBPROJECTS SOURCE: CRISP FORMAT F FY 97 LAST UPDATE 04-07-98 1QUERY 1536 ID SEARCH 06/01/98 PAGE 91 --PROJECT NUMBER......1 R43 AI41843-01 INVESTIGATOR NAME/ADDRESS FY 97 HE, YONGSHENG IRG/INTRAMURAL UNIT..ZRG5 UNIVERSAL HLTH RES & DEVELOP I AWARD AMOUNT......... $98,401 8990-E ROUTE 108 COLUMBIA, MD 21045 PERFORMING ORGANIZATION: UNIVERSAL HEALTHWATCH, INC. TITLE AN AUTOMATED CHEMILUMINESCENT TEST FOR E COLI 0157:H7 ABSTRACT: DESCRIPTION: Development of rapid detection kits for viral and bacterial infectious diseases is the mission of this company. Particularly, there is an emerging need for rapid detection of E. coli O157:H7 in clinics and the food industry. A rapid, accurate, and sensitive chemiluminescence detection method for E. coli O157:H7 will be demonstrated using an automated light-sensor based luminometer with disposable plastic cassettes. The antigens of bacteria in the suspected sample will be specifically or non-specifically captured on the barriers of a pair of cassettes and the presence of O157 and H7 antigens will be determined by the output of emitted light intensity based on the binding of two specific antibodies labeled with an enzyme for both antigens. The whole procedure of the test requires only 5 minutes for each antigen to be detected. The sensitivity is sensitive to less than 10 to the 5th cells per ml or 4,000 cells per sample. The specificity of the test will reach 100% because the presence of both O157 and H7 antigens is the confirmation of E. coli O157:H7 strain in serotyping. The study of phase II will advance to analyzing clinical specimens and food samples. This detection system will be readily used in rapid and sensitive detection of any human or animal pathogens or the antigen related antibodies without requiring any advanced laboratory equipment. $ = TOTAL AWARD AMTS & NOT LIMITED TO PORTION OF PROJECT RELATED TO SUBJECT OF SEARCH SUBPROJECT $ = TOTAL AWARD AMOUNT DIVIDED BY NUMBER OF SUBPROJECTS SOURCE: CRISP FORMAT F FY 97 LAST UPDATE 04-07-98 1QUERY 1536 ID SEARCH 06/01/98 PAGE 92 --PROJECT NUMBER......1 R43 AI41862-01A1 INVESTIGATOR NAME/ADDRESS FY 97 WATANABE, KYOICHI A IRG/INTRAMURAL UNIT..ZRG3 CODON PHARMACEUTICALS, INC AWARD AMOUNT......... $100,000 200 PERRY PARKWAY GAITHERSBURG, MD 20877 PERFORMING ORGANIZATION: CODON PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. TITLE SUICIDE ANALOGS FOR HBV THERAPY ABSTRACT: DESCRIPTION: (adapted from applicant's abstract) Phase I research includes synthesis of potential HBV compunds, screening for activity and short and long term cytotoxicity studies in a cell culture model. Phase II will involve further synthesis of derivatives based on phase I results. Large amounts of promising compounds will be made which will be tested for efficacy and long term toxicity in vitro and in vivo. $ = TOTAL AWARD AMTS & NOT LIMITED TO PORTION OF PROJECT RELATED TO SUBJECT OF SEARCH SUBPROJECT $ = TOTAL AWARD AMOUNT DIVIDED BY NUMBER OF SUBPROJECTS SOURCE: CRISP FORMAT F FY 97 LAST UPDATE 04-07-98 1QUERY 1536 ID SEARCH 06/01/98 PAGE 93 --PROJECT NUMBER......1 R43 AI41866-01 INVESTIGATOR NAME/ADDRESS FY 97 BIEL, MERRILL A IRG/INTRAMURAL UNIT..ZRG2 ADVANCED PHOTODYNAMIC TECHNOLO AWARD AMOUNT......... $71,071 2563 DELAWARE AVE MENDOTA HEIGHTS, MN 55118 PERFORMING ORGANIZATION: ADVANCED PHOTODYNAMIC TECHNOLOGIES, INC. TITLE PHOTODYNAMIC TREATMENT OF STAPHYLOCOCCUS INFECTIONS ABSTRACT: Staphylococcus aureus wound infections are the most common infections that occur in humans resulting in delayed and poor wound healing, sepsis and death. They are the most common causative bacteria in acute wound infections as well as chronic wound infections. Unfortunately, Staphylococcus aureus in the general population has developed significant resistance to all commonly used oral antibiotics with over 90 percent of strains being methicilllin resistant. Furthermore, standard scrubbing techniques of wounds with povodine- iodine solutions do not affect the bacterial counts of staphylococcus aureus in open wounds. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a modality that involves the use of a photosensitizing agent and laser light to create oxygen radicals resulting in the destruction of cancer cells, bacteria, viruses as well as fungi. Several dyes commonly used in medical practice are excellent photodynamic agents ie, methylene blue and toluidene blue. These agents in combination with the appropriate wavelength of light have resulted in the destruction of antibiotic resistant staphylococcus aureus. The proposed research will attempt to establish the feasibility of PDT treatment with topical dyes as a means to antiseptically treat acutely infected wounds in an animal model, demonstrating the effectiveness, ease and minimal morbidity of this treatment.