There is provided an aptamer for dengue virus, optionally an aptamer for dengue virus NS1 protein. The aptamer comprising at least one unnatural base, wherein the unnatural base may be 7-(2thienyl)imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (Ds), pyrrole2-carbaldehyde (Pa) or 2-nitro-4-propynylpyrrole (Px). The aptamers of the invention may be used to identify a dengue infection in a subject. Also provided are mixtures and kits comprising the aptamer.

Provided herein, in some embodiments, are rapid diagnostic tests to detect one or more target nucleic acid sequences (e.g., a nucleic acid sequence of one or more pathogens). In some embodiments, the pathogens are viral, bacterial, fungal, parasitic, or protozoan pathogens, such as SARS-CoV-2 or an influenza virus. In one embodiment, a rapid test method is provided comprising performing an isothermal nucleic acid amplification-based rapid test, accessing fluorescence data of a reaction tube of the test, and visually detecting, via the fluorescence data, presence or absence of a target pathogen, such as COVID-19 and/or an influenza virus and/or a target nucleic acid.

Provided are a diagnostic system and methods for detecting the presence or absence of one or more targets that represent virus infection, inflammatory diseases and/or respiratory disorders by optically and noninvasively observing changing in color of the diagnostic system upon binding of the antigen of interest. Exemplary diagnostic systems and methods include detection of SARS-CoV-2 virus S protein or receptor of advanced glycation end products (RAGE) for diagnosis of COVID-19 infection or inflammatory/respiratory diseases.

Disclosed herein are methods and composition useful for the detection of HPV in a subject sample.

The disclosure provides peptides that are useful for the prevention of infection of coronaviruses, especially SARS-CoV-2. Also described is a method reducing probability of viral infection in a human subject, comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of the pharmaceutical composition described herein.

The present disclosure relates to novel epitope-based compositions, including vaccines, against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and diseases caused by SARS-CoV-2, including the highly contagious coronavirus disease 2019. The disclosure relates to immunogenic polypeptides (including concatemeric polypeptides, hybrid Ii-key constructs, and chimeric or fusion polypeptides as disclosed herein) and the uses thereof, particularly in vaccine compositions. The disclosure also relates to nucleic acids, vectors, and cells which express the polypeptides and the uses thereof. The polypeptides of the invention more specifically comprise an agretope predicted to be a ligand of HLA class I and/or HLA class II MHC molecules, as well as an epitope that is predicted to be recognized by T-cells in the context of MHC class I and/or class II molecules. The compositions are particularly suited to produce vaccines, particularly for vaccinating against SARS-CoV-2 infection and related diseases caused by SARS-CoV-2, including COVID-19.

Methods of diagnosing COVID-19 infection in a subject comprising: (a) obtaining a test sample from the subject (b) comparing levels of a biomarker in the test sample with known normal reference levels of the biomarker, wherein an increase in the level f the biomarker in the test sample relative to the known reference levels of the biomarker is indicative of COVID-19 diagnosis in the subject, the biomarker being one or more of granzyme B, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), interleukin-18 (IL-18), interferon-gamma-inducible protein 10 (IP-10) and elastase 2. These biomarkers are used as therapeutic targets for COVID-19 infection. Also, methods that serve to prognosticate the outcome, recovery and disease severity of COVID-19 patients.

Calibration and/or quality control reagents are disclosed for use in serology immunoassays for antibodies to a microorganism. In the reagents, antibodies specific to an antigen of the microorganism are complexed with anti-human Ig antibody to form a complex. Kits and microfluidics devices containing the reagents are also disclosed, along with methods of producing and using the reagents.

Reagents, kits, and microfluidics devices are disclosed for detecting the presence and/or concentration of antibodies directed to microorganisms in human biological samples. Also disclosed are methods of production and use of the reagents, kits, and microfluidics devices. Anti-human immunoglobulin antibodies are utilized to enhance the signal produced by the assay.

Certain aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to systems and methods for determining viruses such as coronaviruses. For instance, some aspects are directed to systems and methods for determining viruses using a partitioning system. Within the partitioning system, free RNA or other nucleic acids may preferentially partition into one phase, while intact viruses may be present in the other phase or in both phases. Accordingly, in some cases, free RNA or other nucleic acids may be preferentially removed, e.g., as compared to intact RNA or other nucleic acids present within a virus. In some cases, the phase containing intact viruses can be determined to determine the infectiousness, e.g., of a sample arising from a subject. This may be useful, for example, for distinguishing subjects who are capable of spreading an infection from those who are not infectious.