title: Autonomous detection of aerosolized biological agents by multiplexed immunoassay with polymerase chain reaction confirmation.
abstract: The autonomous pathogen detection system (APDS) is an automated, podium-sized instrument that continuously monitors the air for biological threat agents (bacteria, viruses, and toxins). The system has been developed to warn of a biological attack in critical or high-traffic facilities and at special events. The APDS performs continuous aerosol collection, sample preparation, and detection using multiplexed immunoassay followed by confirmatory PCR using real-time TaqMan assays. We have integrated completely reusable flow-through devices that perform DNA extraction and PCR amplification. The fully integrated system was challenged with aerosolized Bacillus anthracis, Yersinia pestis, Bacillus globigii, and botulinum toxoid. By coupling highly selective antibody- and DNA-based assays, the probability of an APDS reporting a false positive is extremely low.
authors.affiliation: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, P.O. Box 808, Livermore, CA 94550, USA.
authors.forename: Benjamin J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Hindson
authors.forename: Mary T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: McBride
authors.forename: Anthony J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Makarewicz
authors.forename: Bruce D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Henderer
authors.forename: Ujwal S
authors.initials: US
authors.lastname: Setlur
authors.forename: Sally M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Dora M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Gutierrez
authors.forename: Thomas R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Metz
authors.forename: Shanavaz L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Nasarabadi
authors.forename: Kodumudi S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Venkateswaran
authors.forename: Stephen W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Farrow
authors.forename: Bill W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Colston
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Dzenitis
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols; D000391:Air Microbiology; D001408:Bacillus anthracis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001905:Botulinum Toxins / Q000032:analysis*; D004247:DNA / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation*; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008863:Microspheres; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000295:instrumentation*; D015010:Yersinia pestis / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D004247:DNA; D001905:Botulinum Toxins