title: The 5th International Conference on Basic and Therapeutic Aspects of Botulinum and Tetanus Neurotoxins. Workshop review: assays and detection.
abstract: The development of diagnostic tests for the botulinum neurotoxins is complicated by their extremely high potencies and the considerable diversity observed within the neurotoxin family. Current approaches for the detection of the toxins and the organism include amplified immunoassays and PCR techniques. Assays which exploit the biological activities within the botulinum toxins are also in development. These are based on both antibody and mass spectrometric techniques which measure the endopeptidase activities of the neurotoxins. This overview of the Assays and Detection Workshop of the 5th International Conference of on Basic and Therapeutic Aspects of Botulinum and Tetanus Neurotoxins discusses recent progress in the development of these assay systems and the issues that need to be overcome prior to their implementation.
authors.affiliation: Health Protection Agency, Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response, Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shone
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boyer
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cirino
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Egan
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kools
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sharma
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001905:Botulinum Toxins / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D013744:Tetanus Toxin / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D013744:Tetanus Toxin; D001905:Botulinum Toxins