Rapid, accurate detection of West Nile virus (WNV) infections can alert public health officials to increase preventative measures and control outbreaks. By applying our novel immobilized particle microarray technology to the detection of antibodies to WNV, and making it compatible with 384-well microplates, chemical kinetic theory predicts we can: 1) eliminate processing steps by performing both assays in a single array and replacing the enzyme-substrate reporter chemistry with a fluorescent label; 2) minimize reagent usage by reducing the capture surface area several orders of magnitude; 3) improve precision by increasing the fractional occupancy of each capture site and minimizing effects of capture surface area and reaction volumes; 4) decrease turnaround times by removing diffusion limitations and shortening processing steps; and 5) demonstrate sensitivity and specificity equivalent to current tests. The technology can also be applied to a number of other viral agents which are currently monitored by the CDC, or may be employed in bioterrorist attacks. There should be significant commercial potential for diagnostic products resulting from this research because they will provide higher throughput, better precision, and lower costs.
