The present invention is directed to novel polynucleotides, polypeptides, and polyproteins of Mycoplasma surface proteins, all of which are useful in detecting infection and for the preparation of vaccines for treating and preventing diseases in swine and other animals. Vaccines provided according to the practice of the invention are effective against Mycoplasma infections. Detection and therapeutic polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies are also a feature of the present invention. Assays, kits, systems, and nanoparticle encapsulated compositions related to the polynucleotides, polypeptides, polyproteins, antibodies or fragments, derivatives, and variants thereof are also disclosed.

The present invention provides sensor cells comprising a receptor that binds to an analyte indicative of the presence of an agent, where binding of the analyte to the receptor triggers a detection event that is indicative of the presence of the agent. In certain embodiments, the detection event is appearance of a reporter detectable by the naked eye. The present invention also provides uses of such sensor cells for detecting the presence of an agent in a sample.

The present invention relates to compositions and fusion proteins containing at least two Mycobacterium sp. antigens, and polynucleotides encoding such compositions and fusion proteins. The invention also relates to methods for their use in the treatment, prevention and/or diagnosis of tuberculosis infections.

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

The presently disclosed subject matter provides compositions and kits comprising light-emitting versions of the monoclonal antibody to C3d (mAB 3d29) for imaging and methods of use thereof for detecting infectious and inflammatory cells in vivo. The presently disclosed subject matter also provides methods for detecting and/or monitoring a Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) infection in a subject, as well as methods of treating a M. tuberculosis infection in a subject.

Systems include test cells with sorbent material in a T-shape and defining a first flow path for a solution and a second flow path for a sample, and a test line or test site with immobilized antigens or antibodies or other ligand binding molecules located at the junction of the T. A housing houses the sorbent material and defines a first hole adjacent an end of the first flow path for receiving the solution and a second hole adjacent an end of the second flow path for receiving the sample.

The invention relates to panels of biomarkers for diagnosing and/or monitoring the progression of an active mycobacterial infection or for diagnosing the absence of a mycobacterial infection, particularly tuberculosis. Such diagnosis and/or monitoring may be differential diagnosis between active tuberculosis patients and patients with latent, non-progressing tuberculosis or healthy or sick patients, irrespective of whether the patients have been characterised as being sputum smear positive or sputum smear negative, and/or irrespective of whether they have been characterised as being HIV positive or HIV negative. The above pertain in all aspects both to pulmonary and extra pulmonary Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections, with Mycobacterium tuberculosis being the causative organism in tuberculosis.

The invention relates to a method of detecting the presence of cancer in a subject based on a panel of biomarkers comprising Hexanal, Heptanal, Octanal, Decanal, Benzaldehyde, Phenylacetaldehyde, Undecane and Benzoic acid in exhaled breath obtained from a subject. The disclosure also teaches a method of detecting tuberculosis and to distinguish the detection of tuberculosis from cancer or to distinguish the detection of cancer from tuberculosis.

Methods for obtaining a tuberculosis assessment in a subject are provided. Aspects of the methods include identifying a subpopulation of a cellular sample of the subject having an expression level for a tuberculosis host biomarker below a threshold expression level to produce a biomarker signature; and obtaining a tuberculosis assessment for the subject from the biomarker signature. Aspects of the invention further include reagents, devices, systems, and kits thereof that find use in practicing the subject methods are provided. The methods and compositions find use in a variety of applications, including diagnosis and monitoring of TB.

Disclosed is a method of detecting the presence of antibodies against mycobacterial material in a sample by detecting binding of antibodies in said sample to at least two types of immobilised antigen, which antigens are capable of binding to an antibody which is indicative for the presence of mycobacterial material in a human or animal. Also disclosed is a solid substrate including a combination of said at least two antigens immobilised to said substrate, and to a biosensor having at least two types of immobilised antigen, which antigens are capable of binding to an antibody which is indicative for the presence of mycobacterial material in a human or animal.