Methods of determining infection type are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises measuring the amount of TRAIL and/or IP10 no more than two days from symptom onset.

Methods, compositions and kits for detecting Group A Streptococcus in a biological sample are described. More particularly, the present disclosure provides an immunoassay in which the specificity of detection of Group A Streptococcus is enhanced by addition of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine. These methods, compositions and kits are useful in convenient, reliable and early diagnosis of streptococcal infection in a human subject.

The present invention provides a method of producing a polysaccharide-protein conjugate with capsular polysaccharide from Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 19F conjugated to a carrier protein. The method includes a prolonged incubation step prior to filtration to remove free polysaccharide.

In various embodiments devices and methods for the detection and/or quantification of clinically relevant pathogens (e.g., bacteria, fungi, viruses, etc.) are provided. In certain embodiments the device comprises a lateral-flow assay that detects the bacterium at a concentration of less than about 6×10.sup.6 cells/mL, less than about 3×10.sup.6 cells/ml, less than about 1×10.sup.6 CFU/mL, or less than about 50 μg/mL. In certain embodiments the device comprises an aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) comprising a mixed phase solution that separates into a first phase solution and a second phase solution; and a lateral-flow assay (LFA). In certain embodiments the device comprises a flow-through system comprising a concentration component comprising an aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) comprising a mixed phase solution that separates into a first phase solution and a second phase solution; and a detection component disposed beneath said concentration component.

The present disclosure is directed to antibodies binding to and inhibiting S. aureus and methods for use thereof.

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

The methods of the present invention exploit unique biochemical pathways present within infectious organisms to develop small molecule metabolic tracers. Labeled substrates created using these inventive methods were created. The labeled substrates can be used to determine whether a subject is infected with an infectious organism by imaging means, and with use of two or more such labeled substrates, methods of differentiating gram negative infection from gram positive infection, and methods of localizing and quantifying infectious disease burden are provided. The methods of the present invention can assist in the clinical decision to begin empiric antibiotic therapy, determine its efficacy, as well as the choice of antibacterial agents.

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##

It is intended to provide a method and an immunochromatographic device, which are capable of measurement with sufficient sensitivity by performing a nitrous acid extraction treatment over a sufficient period of time in an immunochromatography method of extracting and measuring a sugar chain antigen by nitrous acid extraction on an immunochromatographic test piece. The present invention provides an immunochromatographic device comprising an immunochromatographic test piece for extracting and measuring a sugar chain antigen in a specimen, and a container which stores the test piece, the immunochromatographic device having a specimen addition port in a sample pad of the test piece, the immunochromatographic test piece comprising: a sample pad to which a specimen mixed with nitrite or an acid solution is added; a label region comprising a labeled antibody obtained by labeling an antibody against the sugar chain antigen; and a detection region on which the antibody against the sugar chain antigen is immobilized, wherein an antibody-sugar chain antigen-labeled antibody complex is formed in the detection region to measure the sugar chain antigen, and the immunochromatographic test piece having a region impregnated with a neutralizing reagent upstream of the label region, and further having a region impregnated with a solid acid reagent when the specimen mixed with the nitrite is used, or a region impregnated with nitrite when the specimen mixed with the acid solution is used, upstream of the region impregnated with the neutralizing reagent, wherein the immunochromatographic device (i) has a wide specimen addition port for promoting the extraction of the sugar chain antigen with the nitrite and the solid acid reagent by retaining an added specimen sample solution and supplying the specimen sample solution in a short time to the region impregnated with the solid acid reagent or the nitrite, and (ii) has no space between the addition port and the sample pad so as to prevent the sample from escaping from the addition port.

A system comprised of an apparatus and a test device is described. The test device and the apparatus are designed to interact to determine the presence or absence of an analyte of interest in a sample placed on the test device.