Rapid, Onsite Test for Detection of Smallpox

A rapid, onsite environmental test for smallpox has shown a reliable detection level of 100,000 viral particles per swab.

Live vaccinia was used in the development and evaluation of the test because the variola virus is not readily available and the two viruses are antigenically similar. Vaccinia is used in the vaccine for smallpox. Since the new test detects orthopox viruses, it can also recognize monkeypox and cowpox, the only orthopox viruses in addition to variola and vaccinia known to cause human infection. The test, called Ramp Pox Test, was developed by Response Biomedical Corp. (Vancouver, Canada) and consists of a portable fluorescent reader and single-use test cartridges.

"Based on the strength of our Ramp tests for anthrax, ricin, and botulinum toxin, we were encouraged by first responders and leading researchers to develop a test for smallpox on the Ramp platform,” said Bill Radvak, president and CEO of Response Biomedical. "Given the urgent need, we are confident the Ramp Pox Test will soon become an invaluable screening tool.”

Response Biomedical's test for anthrax has been shown to be 100% reliable in detecting anthrax at or above 4,000 spores, with a greater than 99% confidence in specificity.




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