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In order to develop a simple detection assay for field use, CDC researchers cloned and sequenced the Taenia solium T24 diagnostic protein. The T24 sequences can be used to detect and diagnose T. solium infection or can be formulated into a pharmaceutical composition. T. solium is a species of tapeworm. Intestinal infection with T. solium is referred to as taeniasis. Many taeniasis infections are asymptomatic but may be characterized by insomnia, anorexia, abdominal pain and weight loss. Cysticercosis infection, which can be fatal, may develop if T.

CDC researchers have developed improved Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) assays for the nucleic acid-based diagnosis of malaria in field settings. The approach employs Plasmodium genus-specific LAMP primers and a portable tube scanner to run the LAMP reaction and measure fluorescence signal (e.g., SYBR green) as a measure of DNA amplification in real time. Using this platform, the researchers were able to detect several different species of the human malaria parasites.

CDC scientists developed immunogenic multi-clade, multivalent (HIV1MCMV) recombinant constructs for use as HIV-1 vaccines. These polypeptides include immunogenic CTL, T- and/or B-cell determinants that are capable of eliciting broad and effective immune responses against diverse subtypes of HIV-1. It is believed that these HIV-1 constructs provide universal vaccines, capable of effective use in any part of the world affected by the HIV-1 epidemic.

CDC researchers have isolated and characterized the novel primate T-lymphotropic viruses denoted human T-lymphotropic viruses 3 and 4 (HTLV-3 and HTLV4), that are believed to have resulted from cross-species transmission at some point in the past. It has been previously established that HTLV-1 causes adult T cell leukemia and other inflammatory diseases; HTLV-2 is considered less pathogenic than HTLV-1 and has been associated with a neurologic disease similar to HTLV-1-associated myelopathy.

This CDC-developed technology relates to novel vaccines or boosters directed against pulmonary tuberculosis. There is currently only a single vaccine against tuberculosis, the (Bacillus Calmette-Guérin) BCG vaccine. Reports suggest widely variable effectiveness for the BCG vaccine and that BCG administration has very limited success against prevention of the primary pulmonary form of the disease.

CDC researchers have developed an in vitro model system designed to simulate early-stage Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and induced granuloma formation. This modeling platform can be used for studying tuberculosis pathogenicity, identifying phenotypically-interesting clinical isolates, studying early-stage host cytokine/chemokine responses, and in vitro candidate-drug screening.

CDC researchers have developed technology for sero-diagnosis of typically symptomless latent stage tuberculosis disease, posing a threat to individuals under immunosuppressive or anti-inflammatory therapies. Specifically, this diagnostic approach exploits M. tuberculosis secreted latency specific antigens, such as alpha-crystallin, in the blood or urine of patients.

A retrovirus can be any of a group of RNA viruses (i.e., HIV) that insert a DNA copy of their genome into the host cell in order to replicate. Retroviruses can cause persistent and often lifelong infections.

Simian T-cell lymphotropic viruses (STLV) are nonhuman primate retroviruses closely related to the human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV). Types I, II, and III of HTLV have been found in humans and are believed to have originated from cross-species transmission of STLV from infected nonhuman primates. The HTLV viruses are known to cause leukemia, lymphoma, and neurological disorders.

CDC research scientists have developed a method to identify and quantify the activity of pathogenic bacterial adenylate cyclase toxins by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Bacterial protein toxins are among the most potent natural poisons known, causing paralysis, immune system collapse, hemorrhaging and death in some cases.