Development of Biomarkers for Improved Diagnosis of Active Tuberculosis
Abstract
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the TB pandemic a global emergency with estimates that between 2000 and 2020, nearly one billion people will be newly infected, 200 million people will get sick, and 35 million will die from the disease. In the majority of the world, diagnosis of TB still relies on an insensitive 100-year-old technique of smear microscopy which ranges in sensitivity from 20-60% depending on the field and patient conditions. Development of a TB-antigen based test would result in improved diagnosis of TB.
Proteome Systems has taken a new approach to this problem by targeting human and TB proteins present in the body fluids of people infected with TB. Using novel proteomic technologies. Proteome Systems has identified TB proteins in sputa and blood of people diagnosed with TB. Several of these proteins have been prioritised for ongoing validation. This involves generation of sensitive antibodies and optimisation of assays for detection of TB antigens in clinical samples. This presentation will discuss our progress in this program and our strategy for incorporation of these markers into a diagnostic test format to facilitate improved diagnosis of this disease.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the TB pandemic a global emergency with estimates that between 2000 and 2020, nearly one billion people will be newly infected, 200 million people will get sick, and 35 million will die from the disease. In the majority of the world, diagnosis of TB still relies on an insensitive 100-year-old technique of smear microscopy which ranges in sensitivity from 20-60% depending on the field and patient conditions. Development of a TB-antigen based test would result in improved diagnosis of TB.
Proteome Systems has taken a new approach to this problem by targeting human and TB proteins present in the body fluids of people infected with TB. Using novel proteomic technologies. Proteome Systems has identified TB proteins in sputa and blood of people diagnosed with TB. Several of these proteins have been prioritised for ongoing validation. This involves generation of sensitive antibodies and optimisation of assays for detection of TB antigens in clinical samples. This presentation will discuss our progress in this program and our strategy for incorporation of these markers into a diagnostic test format to facilitate improved diagnosis of this disease.
