Development of a rapid screening test for the detection of dihydroanatoxin-a

Project Summary Dihydroanatoxin (dhATX) derived from cyanobacteria is a rapidly emerging global problem that negatively impacts human and animal health. Poisoning induced by dhATX is characterized by a broad array of neurological and cardiovascular symptoms with extremes of severity which can lead to fatality. Therefore, efficient, and effective detection, prevention, control, and mitigation technologies are critically needed to prevent exposures. The only available technology to detect the presence of dhATX is expensive, time consuming, and labor intensive, allowing only sporadic testing to be performed. This lack of rapid, simple, inexpensive testing capability increases the chances of human and animal exposures and associated health problems. Based on our current progress in developing rapid assays for environmental toxins, we will develop a rapid, quantitative, and cost- effective receptor binding assay for detecting dhATX in the field setting. Our test platform will likely emerge as an integral component of monitoring programs domestically and internationally to improve dhATX detection, and will provide an effective tool for public health officials to act quickly to reduce dhATX exposures.