Strip Test for Mad Cow Disease

Researchers have developed antibodies capable of detecting abnormal prions in a novel testing platform, resulting in strip test for mad cow disease.

Antibodies have been identified that work together to detect abnormal prions in cows, deer, and sheep brain tissue, according to Prion Developmental Laboratories, Inc. (PDL, Baltimore, MD, USA), whose scientists developed the antibodies. These led to the development of a lateral flow strip test specifically related to mad cow disease. The company has initiated development of a test kit to analyze solid brain tissue samples for the purpose of diagnosing mad cow disease. Preliminary testing in Europe has demonstrated comparable sensitivity to that of more time-consuming tests. PDL was spawned by Genesis Bioventures, Inc. (New York, NY)

"The spread of chronic wasting disease in North America, as detailed in the press, makes development of these tests even more critical as we try to limit the possibility of these diseases affecting livestock,” said Robert B. Petersen, chief scientific officer at PDL.




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