|
-------- Original Message --------
| Subject:
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IVPHC: Fw: Reliable, rapid diagnosis of Swine
Influenza in Human patients and animals |
| Date:
|
Fri, 01 May 2009 11:06:48 -0700 |
| From:
|
"Stephen M. Apatow" <s.m.apatow@pathobiologics.org> |
| To:
|
ivphc.wg@pathobiologics.org |
1 May 2009
IDIN: Pathobiologics International:
Biodefense Threat
Analysis & Communication Center
Subject: Pandemic Influenza:
Contingency Planning Discussion
Dear Colleagues:
I would like to pass on the following note from Roger Breeze:
This technology provides the actual sequence of up to 1500 bases of the
nucelic acid target so if the H1 target mutates this test tells you the mutation
directly. It is biosafety level 2 and does not require Biosafety level 3 containment
becaise no virus is grown. The key thing; this identifies the current
H1 and future changes in that target that have not yet evolved.
Dear Roger:
As you know, for some time now I have advocated the deployment of the Tesssarae
Multiplex Sequencing Microarray System as a tool for surveillance and detection
of exotic or novel pathogens that could adversely impact public health and/or
animal agriculture. Tessarae representatives have met in recent months
with CDC, FDA, DHS, USDA-ARS, USDA-APHIS (NVSL, CVB, and FADL), USDA-FSIS,
and several Universities involved in Homeland Security biosecurity programs:
interest in the new technology is intense. The sequencing microarray
is already in regular use by the Chinese CDC, at selected US military institutions,
and in several other public health programs in foreign countries.
The current outbreak of "Swine Flu" and in particular the efforts to diagnose
human cases with confidence, demonstrates the power of this particular test
over all others. Genetic sequence information required to characterize
the new influenza virus strains and subtypes responsible for this deadly
disease is provided within 5-8 hours, and the presence or absence of co-infections
or other diseases with similar symptoms is indicated in the same sample concurrently
.
Attached is a letter from Dr. Clark Tibbetts, Chief Technical Officer at
Tessarae, containing the latest information on the capacity of the Tessarae
system to help with this crisis. In the recent past you and Dr. Sean
Cali have received fact sheets characterizing the Influenza chip and
other available chip configurations. I would welcome you to carefully
review and forward the attached letter from Clark to those others responsible
for surveillance and detection programs in DTRA and the DOD with, as you
see fit, your objective perspective on the power of the test. Our objective
is, through those we have met and discussed the multiplex sequencing microarray
with, to assist healthcare providers and relevant agencies with the current
emergency, and perhaps also help to prevent such biological surprises in
animal and/or human health in the future. I am asking you to
consider this because you clearly understand the Tessarae chip technology
and you and your colleagues collectively can benefit most from the technical
updates we will be providing. Moreover, as chief scientist with the
DTRA/SAIC effort in south central Asia, you are in a strategic position to
convey the utility of such scientific advances.
Tessarae would, as always, welcome the opportunity to meet with the
DTRA and DOD leadership to answer any outstanding questions and to present
a complete and up to date analysis of the technology's performance.
I have requested such a meeting for more than a year. I truly believe
such a meeting would be mutually beneficial.
Sincerely,
Floyd P. Horn, Ph.D.
301-452-2552
------------------------------
Related:
- The Future of Biodetection Systems - Final Workshop Analysis: The
Future of Biodetection Systems Workshop was held last year to bring
together industry, academia, national labs, and federal agency personnel
in an interactive process, to develop a roadmap for research and development
investment in biodetection. Sponsored by Los Alamos National
Laboratory, September 26 & 27 2006. -- Overview: BTACC Pathobiologics International.
Keynote: DNA-based Detection Technologies (Powerpoint): Stephen
M.Apatow, Humanitarian University Consortium Graduate
Studies Center
, Veterinary for Medicine
Medicine and Law.
- World News Updates and
Background Discussions: Includes One Medicine (Human/Veterinary) updates
on pandemic influenza and emerging infectious diseases. Humanitarian
Resource Institute.
Stephen M. Apatow
Founder, Director of Research and Development
Pathobiologics
International
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