Apparatus for detecting the presence in an enclosed environment of a subject or subjects infected with viral, bacterial and/or parasitic disease or diseases, the apparatus comprising: (a) an air sampling unit (1) able to take an air sample of the atmosphere in the enclosed environment and to divert said sample for sensing; (b) a selected definitive sensor set (9) comprising at least two sensors reactive to the presence of specific odours or Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in the air sample taken from the environment; (c) a processing unit (10) comprising a pattern recognition analyser, wherein the pattern recognition analyser receives output signals of the sensor set, compares them to diseasespecific patterns derived from a database of response patterns of the sensor set exposed to the totality of the bodily emissions of subjects with known disease or diseases, wherein each of the disease-specific patterns is characteristic of a particular disease, selected from bacteriological, viral and parasitic disease, and selects a closest match between the output signals of the sensor set and the disease-specific pattern; and (d) a control system that triggers the sampling of the air space of the environment at pre-determined times or intervals for rendering the apparatus entirely automatic and self-contained in operation, wherein the air sampling unit comprises: a surface (2) for capturing VOCs from the air sample; and a heater (3) for heating the surface to release captured VOCs when diverting the air sample for sensing.

Anti-SARS-CoV-specific monoclonal antibodies, methods of making and characterizing those antibodies, and methods of using those antibodies are described herein. In some embodiments, the antibodies may bind to both SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2. In some embodiments, the antibodies bind to S.sub.1 of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 including, for example, to the receptor binding domain (RBD) of S.sub.1. In some embodiments, the antibodies may block the binding of SARS-CoV-1 and/or SARS-CoV-2 to ACE-2. Such antibodies are useful as diagnostic and therapeutic agents.

Disclosed are a composition for diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infectious disease, a diagnostic kit, a method for providing information for diagnosis, a method for screening a therapeutic agent, and a composition for prevention or treatment, wherein it is expected that the diagnosis or prognostic prediction of the severity of SARS-CoV-2 infectious disease can be attained and the control of expression and activity of TOX, which is a marker, can be advantageously used in the development of a therapeutic agent for SARS-CoV-2 infectious disease.

Influenza viruses for use in preparing human vaccines have traditionally been grown on embryonated hen eggs, although more modern techniques grow the virus in mammalian cell culture e.g. on Vero, MDCK or PER.C6 cell lines. The inventor has realised that the conditions used for influenza virus culture can increase the risk that pathogens other than influenza virus may grow in the cell lines and have identified specific contamination risks. Suitable tests can thus be performed during manufacture in order to ensure safety and avoid iatrogenic infections.

A method for preventing obesity related to infection by an adipogenic adenovirus includes obtaining a sample from a person, assaying the sample to determine whether the person has been previously infected with an adipogenic adenovirus, and if the person has not been previously infected, providing the person with at least one sensor positioned to detect when a person's hand approaches a predetermined distance from the person's face. By warning the person of undesired hand-to-face contacts, the person is able to reduce the incidence of obesity related infections. Other embodiments are directed to a kit for preventing obesity caused by infection with an adipogenic adenovirus, such kit including a container for assaying an agent indicating the presence of antibodies to Ad-36, and a sensor positioned on an item selected from the group consisting of one of a hat, a writing instrument, eye glasses, a belt, sunglasses, a bra, a shirt, and a tie.

Apparatuses and methods of optically analyzing fluid within a pipette are described herein. In an embodiment, an optical reader subassembly includes a housing including an internal area, a container configured to hold a fluid sample at a sample position in a light tight manner within the internal area of the housing, a light source configured to project light onto the fluid sample within the container, and an optical sensor configured to move between different sensor positions while the fluid sample remains stationary at the sample position, the different sensor positions including at least two of: (i) a first sensor position for taking a luminescence reading of the fluid sample; (ii) a second sensor position for taking a dark current or other background measurement; and (iii) a third sensor position for taking a fluorescence reading of the fluid sample.

The invention is related to identification of an interferon-analog (IFNL4) protein and genetic association with spontaneous clearance of HCV infection and response to treatment for HCV infection.

Monoclonal antibodies or fragments thereof are disclosed, which are binding to the protein P of the human Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) which has a variable region of the heavy chain which has a sequence with at least a 90%, 95% or 99% of identity with the SEQ ID No: 1 or SEQ ID 5 or a variable region of the light chain which has a sequence with at least a 90%, 95% or 99% of identity with the SEQ ID No:2 or SEQ ID No: 6. Also provided are diagnostic methods ex vivo or in vitro for detection of the viral antigen P of RSV, in which are used the monoclonal antibodies produced and secreted by the hybridomas 2E6/D2 and 6H5/H1. The invention can be used in detection for RSV kits, having the antibodies produced by the mentioned hybridomas.

The present invention relates to a novel porcine pestivirus, to proteins of the virus and to vaccines based upon the virus and proteins thereof. The invention also relates to DNA fragments comprising a gene of the virus and to DNA vaccines based upon genes of the virus. Furthermore the invention relates to antibodies that are reactive with the novel virus and to diagnostic tests for the detection of the virus or antibodies against the virus.

The present invention relates to a method for the immunological diagnosis of a sample from a patient with a potential infection with an arbovirus, wherein a) a sample is brought into contact with a plurality of antigens that, separated from each other, are applied to a solid phase, wherein at least the following antigens are used: aa) the non-structural protein 1 of a first arbovirus or an immunologically reactive part thereof having at least 8 amino acids, bb) an envelope protein of a first arbovirus or an immunologically reactive part thereof having at least 8 amino acids, cc) an envelope protein of a second arbovirus or an immunologically reactive part thereof having at least 8 amino acids, dd) the non-structural protein 1 of a third arbovirus or an immunologically reactive part thereof having at least 8 amino acids and ee) an envelope protein of a third arbovirus or an immunologically reactive part thereof having at least 8 amino acids, b) the solid phase is washed to separate non-specific bindings, c) the immune complex formed on the solid phase is converted into a signal and d) the test method is evaluated by comparing the relative signal strengths.