Spectral公司推出快速检测西尼罗河病毒的方法

最近一项研究证实：一种新型快速检测方法用于检测暴露于西尼罗河病毒感染患者的时候，敏感性和特异性极高。

许多西尼罗河感染患者有非特异性的发热、头痛、乏力以及其它流感样症状。根据美国疾病控制与预防中心（CDC，Atlanta, GA, USA）的研究结果，每150例西尼罗河病毒感染患者中有1例会发展成为严重感染，例如脑炎或者脑膜炎，有可能会导致瘫痪或者死亡。

这种新型检测方法是由Spectral诊断集团(Toronto, Canada)研制开发的。迄今为止，这是唯一的西尼罗河病毒检测方法，用于患者在拜访医生的时候，进行单个患者的依次检测。光谱诊断同样被研制开发用于脓毒败血症的快速检测，以及用于测定心肌梗塞的指标。

Spectral公司执行总裁Paul Walker博士说：“这次成功的研究标志着Spectral公司西尼罗河病毒感染新型快速检测方法研制开发工作获得了成功。我们的计划表仍然将这个研制开发作为常规战略，将呈递给加拿大和美国有关当局进行审批，允许医生在2005年西尼罗河病毒夏季感染高峰的时候使用这项检测方法。
Rapid Assay for West Nile Virus
 
A study has demonstrated that a novel rapid assay has a high degree of sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing West Nile virus (WNV) exposure in patients at risk.

Many patients with WNV infection have nonspecific symptoms of fever, headache, malaise, or other flu-like symptoms. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, Atlanta, GA, USA), about one in 150 patients infected with WNV will develop a serious infection such as encephalitis or meningitis, which can result in paralysis or death.

The new test was developed by Spectral Diagnostics, Inc. (Toronto, Canada). To date, it is the only rapid point-of-care test available for WNV that is intended for individual patient-by-patient application at the time of a patient’s visit to a doctor. Spectral Diagnostics has also developed a rapid test for sepsis and a test for measuring markers of myocardial infarction.

“This successful study marks the conclusion of the development phase of Spectral’s novel rapid assay for detecting human infection with the West Nile Virus,” said Dr. Paul Walker, M.D., Ph.D., CEO of Spectral. “We remain on schedule with our regulatory strategy to submit this test for consideration to Canadian and U.S. regulators to allow physicians to access this test in time for the 2005 WNV summer season.”