Methods of biological samples field analysis

With the financial support of Internal Security Fund Police Programme European Commission Directorate General Home Affairs. This project has been founded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the authors, and European Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein

Methods of sampling

With the financial support of Internal Security Fund Police Programme European Commission Directorate General Home Affairs. This project has been founded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the authors, and European Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein

Microarrays – new possibilities for detecting biological factors hazardous for humans and animals, and for use in environmental protection

Both the known biological agents that cause infectious diseases, as well as modified (ABF-Advanced Biological Factors) or new, emerging agents pose a significant diagnostic problem using previously applied methods, both classical, as well as based on molecular biology methods. The latter, such as PCR and real-time PCR, have significant limitations, both quantitative (low capacity), and qualitative (limited number of targets). The article discusses the results of studies on using the microarray method for the identification of viruses (e.g. Orthopoxvirus group, noroviruses, influenza A and B viruses, rhino- and enteroviruses responsible for the FRI (Febrile Respiratory Illness), European bunyaviruses, and SARS-causing viruses), and bacteria ([i]Mycobacterium spp., Yersinia spp., Campylobacter spp., Streptococcus pneumoniae, Salmonella typhi, Salmonella enterica, Staphylococcus aureus, Neisseria meningitidis, Clostridium difficile , Helicobacter pylori[/i]), including multiple antibiotic-resistant strains. The method allows for the serotyping and genotyping of bacteria, and is useful in the diagnosis of genetically modified agents. It allows the testing of thousands of genes in one experiment. In addition to diagnosis, it is applicable for gene expression studies, analysis of the function of genes, microorganisms virulence, and allows the detection of even single mutations. The possibility of its operational application in epidemiological surveillance, and in the detection of disease outbreak agents is demonstrated