Methods for rapid identification of pathogens in humans and animals
First Claim
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1. A method of identifying a plurality of etiologic agents of disease in an individual comprising the steps of:
- amplifying at least one nucleic acid molecule obtained from a biological sample from the individual with a plurality of primers that hybridize to sequence regions of said nucleic acid that are conserved among different etiologic agents of disease, wherein said conserved sequence regions flank a variable sequence region to obtain a plurality of amplification products, wherein said variable sequence region is within a gene; and
determining the molecular masses of the plurality of amplification products, wherein the molecular masses identify the plurality of etiologic agents and wherein the primers distinguish an etiologic agent of disease at the division level wherein said primers hybridize to said sequence regions that are conserved at the division level, distinguish an etiologic agent of disease at the species level wherein said primers hybridize to sequence regions that are conserved at the species level, or a combination thereof.
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Abstract
The present invention provides methods of: identifying pathogens in biological samples from humans and animals, resolving a plurality of etiologic agents present in samples obtained from humans and animals, determining detailed genetic information about such pathogens or etiologic agents, and rapid detection and identification of bioagents from environmental, clinical or other samples.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of identifying a plurality of etiologic agents of disease in an individual comprising the steps of:
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amplifying at least one nucleic acid molecule obtained from a biological sample from the individual with a plurality of primers that hybridize to sequence regions of said nucleic acid that are conserved among different etiologic agents of disease, wherein said conserved sequence regions flank a variable sequence region to obtain a plurality of amplification products, wherein said variable sequence region is within a gene; and determining the molecular masses of the plurality of amplification products, wherein the molecular masses identify the plurality of etiologic agents and wherein the primers distinguish an etiologic agent of disease at the division level wherein said primers hybridize to said sequence regions that are conserved at the division level, distinguish an etiologic agent of disease at the species level wherein said primers hybridize to sequence regions that are conserved at the species level, or a combination thereof. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 19, 20)
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8. A method of performing epidemic surveillance comprising the steps of:
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amplifying at least one nucleic acid molecule obtained from a plurality of biological samples obtained from a plurality of geographic locations with at least one pair of primers that hybridize to sequence regions of said nucleic acid that are conserved among different pathogens, wherein said conserved sequence regions flank a variable sequence region, wherein said variable sequence region is within a gene, wherein said primers distinguish a pathogen at the division level wherein said primers hybridize to said sequence regions that are conserved at the division level, distinguish a pathogen at the species level wherein said primers hybridize to sequence regions that are conserved at the species level, or a combination thereof to obtain at least one amplification product; and determining the molecular mass of the at least one amplification product, wherein the molecular mass identifies the pathogen in the biological sample, and wherein identification of a pathogen in a sample from a particular geographic location indicates the spread of the pathogen to the particular geographic location. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22)
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Specification