Autonomous Detection of Aerosolized Bacillus anthracis and Yersinia pestis

We have developed and tested a fully autonomous pathogen detection system (APDS) capable of continuously monitoring the environment for airborne biological threat agents. The system is designed to provide early warning to civilians in the event of a terrorist attack. The final APDS will be completel...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Analytical chemistry (Washington) 2003-10, Vol.75 (20), p.5293-5299
Main Authors: MCBRIDE, Mary T., MASQUELIER, Don, HINDSON, Benjamin J., MAKAREWICZ, Anthony J., BROWN, Steve, BURRIS, Keith, METZ, Thomas, LANGLOIS, Richard G., TSANG, Kar Wing, BRYAN, Ruth, ANDERSON, Doug A., VENKATESWARAN, Kodumudi S., MILANOVICH, Fred P., COLSTON, Bill W.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aerosols - analysis
Analytical chemistry
Antibodies, Bacterial - immunology
Bacillus anthracis
Bacillus anthracis - immunology
Bacillus anthracis - isolation & purification
Bacillus subtilis - immunology
Biochemistry
Bioterrorism - prevention & control
Chemistry
Cross Reactions - immunology
Exact sciences and technology
Flow Cytometry - instrumentation
Fluorescent Dyes - analysis
Fluorescent Dyes - chemistry
Humans
Immunoassay - instrumentation
Immunoassay - methods
Microbiological Techniques - methods
Microfluidics
Microspheres
Miscellaneous
Phycoerythrin - analysis
Phycoerythrin - chemistry
Reproducibility of Results
Spores, Bacterial - immunology
Spores, Bacterial - isolation & purification
Yersinia pestis
Yersinia pestis - immunology
Yersinia pestis - isolation & purification
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Description
Summary:We have developed and tested a fully autonomous pathogen detection system (APDS) capable of continuously monitoring the environment for airborne biological threat agents. The system is designed to provide early warning to civilians in the event of a terrorist attack. The final APDS will be completely automated, offering aerosol sampling, in-line sample preparation fluidics, multiplexed detection and identification immunoassays, and orthogonal, multiplexed PCR (nucleic acid) amplification and detection. The system performance (current capabilities include aerosol collection, multiplexed immunoassays, sample archiving, data reporting, and alarming) was evaluated in a field test conducted in a Biosafety Level 3 facility, where the system was challenged with, and detected, a series of aerosolized releases containing two live, virulent biological threat agents (Bacillus anthracis and Yersinia pestis). Results presented here represent the first autonomous, simultaneous measurement of these agents.
ISSN:0003-2700
1520-6882
DOI:10.1021/ac034722v