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Source: http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/News/A...articleID=6540
Scientists at Compton's Institute of Animal Health develop microarray to identify over 300 deadly diseases
SCIENTISTS at Compton?s Institute of Animal Health have unveiled their latest weapon in the war against killer viruses that threaten Britain?s livestock.
A tiny microchip, just half the size of a microscope slide, has been developed by scientists in Compton to identify viruses including bird flu and foot-and-mouth disease before they have a chance to spread.
While current methods of identifying often deadly diseases may take days as vets examine infected animals? symptoms, the hi-tech microarray will eventually allow scientists to diagnose within 24 hours.
Each one includes up to 10,000 microscopic spot samples capable of identifying up to 300 viruses.
Top IAH scientist Dr Paul Britton, from Great Shefford, told a microbiology conference on Monday that the microchip could detect up to 300 different viruses that infect humans, livestock, birds, fish and insects.
He is part of a team of two at the Compton laboratory that has developed the chip for the last two years.
He said that the last major outbreak of killer chest virus SARS in China had been identified using a microchip, and was swiftly brought under control.
?We need a similar was of quickly identifying viruses that attack chickens, cattle, pigs, sheep and other farm animals,? he said.
The new chip would allow ?almost anyone? to identify the disease as early as possible, getting the disease under control before it spread.
Dr Britton said: ?The great advantage is that you don?t even have to know which virus you are looking for. It can be used in the early stages of a disease outbreak to quickly identify the threat to people or animals, and can be used on samples either from clinics or isolated from the environment.?
The chip contains over 2,800 stretches of gene material from over 300 viruses.
While it is currently being used mainly as a research tool, it will soon be distributed to other microbiologists across Europe working to battle infectious animal diseases.
Dr Britton made the announcement at the conference of the Society for General Microbiology?s in Edinburgh.
Scientists at Compton's Institute of Animal Health develop microarray to identify over 300 deadly diseases
SCIENTISTS at Compton?s Institute of Animal Health have unveiled their latest weapon in the war against killer viruses that threaten Britain?s livestock.
A tiny microchip, just half the size of a microscope slide, has been developed by scientists in Compton to identify viruses including bird flu and foot-and-mouth disease before they have a chance to spread.
While current methods of identifying often deadly diseases may take days as vets examine infected animals? symptoms, the hi-tech microarray will eventually allow scientists to diagnose within 24 hours.
Each one includes up to 10,000 microscopic spot samples capable of identifying up to 300 viruses.
Top IAH scientist Dr Paul Britton, from Great Shefford, told a microbiology conference on Monday that the microchip could detect up to 300 different viruses that infect humans, livestock, birds, fish and insects.
He is part of a team of two at the Compton laboratory that has developed the chip for the last two years.
He said that the last major outbreak of killer chest virus SARS in China had been identified using a microchip, and was swiftly brought under control.
?We need a similar was of quickly identifying viruses that attack chickens, cattle, pigs, sheep and other farm animals,? he said.
The new chip would allow ?almost anyone? to identify the disease as early as possible, getting the disease under control before it spread.
Dr Britton said: ?The great advantage is that you don?t even have to know which virus you are looking for. It can be used in the early stages of a disease outbreak to quickly identify the threat to people or animals, and can be used on samples either from clinics or isolated from the environment.?
The chip contains over 2,800 stretches of gene material from over 300 viruses.
While it is currently being used mainly as a research tool, it will soon be distributed to other microbiologists across Europe working to battle infectious animal diseases.
Dr Britton made the announcement at the conference of the Society for General Microbiology?s in Edinburgh.