The present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition, for example a vaccine, which comprises a RIFIN, which is able to bind to a mutated LAIR-1 fragment, which broadly binds to erythrocytes infected with Plasmodium falciparum. Such a RIFIN may be useful in the prevention and/or treatment of malaria.

The present invention relates to methods and compositions for preventing, treating and diagnosing infection by trypanosomes. The invention also relates to the use of excreted/secreted antigens (exoantigens, secretome) and specifically to the identification of a protein excreted/secreted by the trypanosomes, the inhibition of which makes it possible to provide effective protection, mainly by vaccination, against infection by trypanosomes or the development or spread thereof. The invention relates to use of the protein, the derivatives thereof, a nucleotide sequence derived from said protein, or an extract enriched with said protein, and to the use of antibodies directed against said trypanosomes for immunotherapy, diagnosis, and monitoring of infections by trypanosomes.

Provided herein are Aminopurine compounds of Formula I: ##STR00001## or pharmaceutically acceptable salts, tautomers, isotopologues, or stereoisomers thereof, wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 are as defined herein, compositions comprising an effective amount of an Aminopurine Compound, and methods for treating or preventing animal and human protozoal infections.

The present invention provides a protein comprising a mutated LAIR-1 fragment, which broadly binds to erythrocytes infected with Plasmodium falciparum. The protein comprising the mutated LAIR-1 fragment may be useful in the prevention and/or treatment of malaria. The present invention furthermore provides a nucleic acid encoding a mutated LAIR-1 fragment, a vector comprising such a nucleic acid as well as a respective pharmaceutical composition.

The invention relates to a method for labeling specifically living microorganisms in a sample comprising microorganisms, the method comprising the steps of: a) incubating said microorganisms of said sample with at least one modified monosaccharide compound comprising a first reactive chemical group capable to chemically react with a second reactive group, so that a residue bearing said first reactive group is incorporated into such microorganisms, and b) contacting said residue incorporated in the microorganisms, with a labeling molecule comprising a said second reactive group, for generating the chemical reaction of said first reactive group of said residue incorporated within said living microorganisms with said second reactive group of said labeling molecule, resulting in a covalent link, characterized in that the said modified monosaccharide compound has the following formula (I), or a salt thereof: X can be O, NH or S, preferably O and NH, and R1 and R2 can be independently H, OH, NH.sub.2, OH and NH.sub.2 being substituted or not by protecting groups thereof, preferably substituted by alkyl, hydroxyalkyl, acyl, formyl or imidoyl groups, and R3 is H or an alkyl chain in C.sub.1 to C.sub.4, each carbon being substituted or not substituted by OH or NH.sub.2 substituted or not by protecting groups thereof, preferably by alkyl, hydroxyalkyl, acyl, formyl or imidoyl groups, andat least one of X, R1, R2 and R3 groups, preferably R3, being substituted by a said first reactive group Ra.

##STR00001##

Assays used in conjunction with a thermal contrast reader are disclosed. In the assay, the test strip includes materials that can develop a thermal response if a target analyte is present in a sample. Linear flow assays include nanoparticles with high affinity binding to the analyte. Binding of the nanoparticles with an analyte in the sample is detected using thermal contrast. Analytes over a broad range of concentrations are detected in the linear flow assays. Methods of detecting target analytes and kits comprising lateral flow assays and thermal contrast reader are also disclosed.

The present invention provides expression vectors for cell-surface expression of polypeptides comprising a transmembrane domain of glycophorin A.

The present invention provides compositions and methods that can be used to determine a peptide signature for an antibody repertoire in a sample comprising multiple antibodies. The method can be used to characterize a phenotype in a sample, such as providing a diagnosis, prognosis or theranosis of a medical condition.

A method of detecting and identifying an analyte in a sample is provided. The method comprises the steps of applying a sample to a Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS)-active surface comprising an electrode which is coated with polyelectrolyte-wrapped nanometallic particles; applying, in a step-wise manner, a first voltage and then a second voltage to the SERS-active surface; generating a SERS spectrum of the SERS-active surface; and determining whether the generated SERS spectrum is characteristic for a target analyte. The method can be used to diagnose and treat an infection. A SERS-active surface, kit and computer-implemented method for performing the above method are also provided.

Method and kits are provided determining the presence or absence of parasitic helminth eggs in environmental samples, particularly fecal samples. The methods incorporate egg capture methods and the use of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine specific ligands for egg detection.