A Treponema pallidum triplet antigen construct is disclosed which includes three Treponema pallidum antigens (TP15, TP17, and TP47), as well as a ten amino acid leader sequence (tag 261) and human copper zinc superoxide dismutase (hSOD). This construct is optimized for in vitro diagnosis of syphilis infection. Plasmids containing DNA encoding the triplet antigen, host cells, production methods, detection methods, and kits are also disclosed.

A test unit collects and analyzes biological specimens on-site. It has one or more openings that allow reagent capsules to be inserted and guided into a testing chamber. Reagent capsules are pre-loaded with chemicals for screening and are configured as blister packs. A button mechanism allows projection(s) to open the blister packs to allow chemicals within the capsules to mix inside the testing chamber. A medical swab is affixed to a pop top dispenser cap and can be pressed to allow the swab to be inserted into the mixed chemicals. A visible test strip mount attached to the testing chamber has a lever to manipulate a test strip in and out of the testing chamber. This test strip may be slid through a uni-directional seal on a capsule and into a chemical for testing. The test strip will test for the presence of an infectious disease.

A test unit collects and analyzes biological specimens on-site. It has one or more openings that allow reagent capsules to be inserted and guided into a testing chamber. Reagent capsules are pre-loaded with chemicals for screening and are configured as blister packs. A button mechanism allows projection(s) to open the blister packs to allow chemicals within the capsules to mix inside the testing chamber. A medical swab is affixed to a pop top dispenser cap and can be pressed to allow the swab to be inserted into the mixed chemicals. A visible test strip mount attached to the testing chamber has a lever to manipulate a test strip in and out of the testing chamber. This test strip may be slid through a uni-directional seal on a capsule and into a chemical for testing. The test strip will test for the presence of an infectious disease.

A facile laboratory-based method and kit for use in accordance with the method is disclosed. The method allows for the localisation of biomolecules comprising a conjugatable sulfhydryl group to be localised to the surface of cells, such as red blood cells, as lipid conjugates. The method obviates the need to purify the lipid-conjugated biomolecule before contacting with the cells.

A facile laboratory-based method and kit for use in accordance with the method is disclosed. The method allows for the localisation of biomolecules comprising a conjugatable sulfhydryl group to be localised to the surface of cells, such as red blood cells, as lipid conjugates. The method obviates the need to purify the lipid-conjugated biomolecule before contacting with the cells.

A method is presented for treating herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection comprising: (a) locally administering a substance that induces a delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) response to a patient at a site other than at the site of an HSV lesion to induce a DTH response during one or more outbreaks of the HSV infection. The method reduces the number of HSV outbreaks in persons experiencing outbreaks.

A method is presented for treating herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection comprising: (a) locally administering a substance that induces a delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) response to a patient at a site other than at the site of an HSV lesion to induce a DTH response during one or more outbreaks of the HSV infection. The method reduces the number of HSV outbreaks in persons experiencing outbreaks.

The invention provides methods and compositions for detecting and diagnosing sexually transmitted infections using a string of epitopes (SOE) specific for detection of causative microorganisms. The antigenic epitopes may be single epitope sequences, a plurality of epitope sequences joined by repeats of glycine (-GG-) and/or lysine (-KK-) to form a series of epitopes (SOE), or nucleotide sequences encoding one or more SOEs and host cells harboring said SOE nucleotide sequences. SOEs specific for highly immunogenic regions of proteins from Trichomonas, Treponema and Neisseria species are provided. SOEs to detect the presence of trichomonas species comprise regions from Trichomonas-sptciric aldolase, GAPDH, a-enolase and a-actinin proteins. Pharmaceutical compositions comprising SOEs can also be used as vaccines or to elicit an immune response to specific microorganisms.

The invention provides methods and compositions for detecting and diagnosing sexually transmitted infections using a string of epitopes (SOE) specific for detection of causative microorganisms. The antigenic epitopes may be single epitope sequences, a plurality of epitope sequences joined by repeats of glycine (-GG-) and/or lysine (-KK-) to form a series of epitopes (SOE), or nucleotide sequences encoding one or more SOEs and host cells harboring said SOE nucleotide sequences. SOEs specific for highly immunogenic regions of proteins from Trichomonas, Treponema and Neisseria species are provided. SOEs to detect the presence of trichomonas species comprise regions from Trichomonas-sptciric aldolase, GAPDH, a-enolase and a-actinin proteins. Pharmaceutical compositions comprising SOEs can also be used as vaccines or to elicit an immune response to specific microorganisms.

A Treponema pallidum triplet antigen construct is disclosed which includes three Treponema pallidum antigens (TP15, TP17, and TP47), as well as a ten amino acid leader sequence (tag 261) and human copper zinc superoxide dismutase (hSOD). This construct is optimized for in vitro diagnosis of syphilis infection. Plasmids containing DNA encoding the triplet antigen, host cells, production methods, detection methods, and kits are also disclosed.