PathAlert Infectious-Agent Detection System.PathAlert[TM] Detection System, a cost-effective screening and confirmatory detection system for infectious agents, has undergone successful evaluations coordinated by the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), independent agency of the U.S. government, with headquarters in Washington, D.C. It was established in 1970 to reduce and control air and water pollution, noise pollution, and radiation and to ensure the safe handling and (U.S. EPA EPA eicosapentaenoic acid. EPA abbr. eicosapentaenoic acid EPA, n.pr See acid, eicosapentaenoic. EPA, n. ). In those tests, the system was shown to be sensitive and specific for the identification of air and waterborne pathogens. The PathAlert Detection System can be used by government, military, and research organizations for accurate detection of infectious agents such as Bacillus anthracis Bacillus anthracis Infectious disease A gram-positive organism which causes often fatal infections when its endospores–resistant to heat, drying, UV light, gamma radiation, and many disinfectants–enter the body and cause septicemia Military medicine (anthrax), Yersinia pestis (plague), Vaccinia vac·cin·i·a n. 1. See cowpox. 2. An infection induced in humans by inoculation with the vaccinia virus in order to confer resistance to smallpox; it is usually limited to the site of inoculation. (smallpox simulant), and Francisella tularensis (tularemia tularemia (t  lərē`mēə) or rabbit fever, acute, infectious disease caused by Francisella tularensis (Pasteurella tularensis). ) in samples
collected from the air, food, and water. According to the U.S. EPA
assessment, the system accurately detected infectious agents such as
anthrax and plague in drinking water with no false positives or false
negatives at expected sensitivity levels.
Each PathAlert Detection Kit is a reagent system optimized for the detection of a specific infectious agent. Based on multiplex-PCR, the kits detect multiple regions of pathogen DNA DNA: see nucleic acid. DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid One of two types of nucleic acid (the other is RNA); a complex organic compound found in all living cells and many viruses. It is the chemical substance of genes. and include internal and external controls, greatly reducing false-positive and false-negative readings. Using the PathAlert multiplex-PCR kits with the Agilent 2100 bioanalyzer and DNA chip and reagent kits, users can monitor DNA targets and controls simultaneously without the constraints imposed by conventional real-time PCR PCR polymerase chain reaction. PCR abbr. polymerase chain reaction Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) . Agilent's 5100 Automated Labon-a-Chip Platform can be used for biodefense applications requiring high-throughput analysis. The PathAlert System also provides less costly capabilities for detecting anthrax, plague, smallpox simulant, and tularemia. The system also offers the unique capability of multi-agent analysis in a single assay based on the biothreat agents of interest in a specific matrix, such as water, food, or animal feed. It is being co-marketed by Invitrogen Corporation and Agilent Technologies, Inc. For more information on the PathAlert System, contact Greg Geissman by phone at (760) 476-7032 or by e-mail at gregory.geissman@invitrogen.com, or visit www.invitrogen.com. |
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