The present invention relates to a method for diagnosing in vitro a pneumococcal infection (Streptococcus pneumoniae), comprising at least two steps of detecting a pneumococcal antigen: (i) on a sample of secretions from the airways of a patient, and (ii) on the same sample after dilution.

The present disclosure provides methods and kits for detecting Group A Streptococcus in biological samples. More particularly, the present disclosure provides methods for enhancing the specificity and sensitivity of Group A Streptococcus immunoassays by including N-propionyl-D-glucosamine, 2-N-butanoyl-D-glucosamide, Bis-(2-(D-2-deoxy-glucosaminyl))-PEG3-amide, m-PEG4-glucosamine, m-PEG6-glucosamine, or m-PEG10-glucosamine. The methods and kits disclosed herein are thus useful for reliable and early diagnosis of streptococcal infections in a subject.

Methods and kits for sampling mucous from within a sinus to determine if a single sample includes one or more bacterial types indicating a bacterial infection, such as bacterial sinusitis, and one or more viruses indicating a viral infection, such as influenza.

In some embodiments, the present invention is a device, including: a swab including an absorptive component attached to a stem, an extraction chamber configured to receive the swab and position the absorptive component of the swab configured to be in fluid communication with an extraction reagent, a test strip configured to be brought in fluid communication with the extraction reagent following extraction of the analyte from the biological sample, including: a sample receiving portion configured to accept a sample, a site on the strip where the analyte-specific labeled reagent has been incorporated, such reagent configured to bind the analyte from the biological sample, a capture portion configured to receive: the analyte from the biological sample and the analyte-specific labeled reagent so as to result in displaying a positive or negative result at the completion of the assay, and an adsorbent pad attached to the test strip.

An in vitro or ex vivo method, based on the measurement of the expression of cytokine(s), from a patient's blood sample, incubated with a stimulus, for determining the risk of occurrence of a healthcare-associated infection in the patient, within seven days following the day on which the collection of the biological sample has been performed from the patient.

An enzymatic extraction agent, as well as methods, compositions and kits for detecting Group A Streptococcus in a biological sample, which involve the enzymatic agent, are described.

The present invention relates to synthetic saccharides of general formula (I) that are related to Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 4 capsular polysaccharide and conjugates thereof. Said conjugate and a pharmaceutical composition containing said conjugate are useful for prevention and/or treatment of diseases associated with Streptococcus pneumoniae, and more specifically of diseases associated with Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 4. Furthermore, the synthetic saccharides of general formula (I) are useful as marker in immunological assays for detection of antibodies against Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria.

The present invention provides a panel of at least five clinical analyses or tests (using serum samples) to determine the risk of pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS) and/or pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder associated with streptococcal infection (PANDAS) in an individual. These include enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) to measure antibody titers against neuronal antigens present in the brain; the neuronal antigens include lysoganglioside, tubulin, dopamine receptor D1, dopamine receptor D2, serotonin receptor 5HT2A, and serotonin receptor 5HT2C. Antibody titers against at least four of these neuronal antigens are required in the present methods; preferably antibody tiers against all of these neuronal antigens are measured. A final assay is used to quantify calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase activity using a neuronal cell line. The results of these analyses or tests are then combined using an algorithm to determine whether a PANS or PANDAS diagnosis is appropriate for the individual. Depending on the diagnosis, an appropriate treatment can be determined.

The present invention generally relates to the field of detecting and preventing infectious diseases caused by Enterococcus faecalis and/or Enterococcus faecium. More specifically, the invention relates to an Enterococcus faecalis and/or Enterococcus faecium antigen which comprises at least one unit having the following general formula: ##STR00001##

The disclosure provides methods, compositions, and kits for enhanced detection of microbes in samples and monitoring of antimicrobial activity in a subject.