Smallpox abstract: Update 2004 - diagnostic development at the CDC

Overview

Victoria Olson, Yu Li, Hui Zhao, Miriam Laker, Kevin Karem, Scott K Smith, Nikeva Bernard, Zach Braden, Russell Regnery, Inger Damon

In the past year, development and validation, as well as performance analysis of diagnostic real time PCR orthopoxvirus assays has continued at the CDC. In 2004 a collaborative manuscript with Dr. H. Meyer, evaluating a variola assay designed by Dr Meyer, was published. As additional clinical samples have been tested using the orthopoxvirus assays, progress has been made to approach the Food and Drug Administration for “approval” of at least one assay. A laboratory testing algorithm, designed for triaging and testing febrile vesiculopustular rash illness specimens was posted on the CDC and Association for Public Health Laboratories websites. Further work on characterization of monoclonals generated and screened to be specific for variola will be described.

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