Rapid Visible Detection of African Swine Fever Virus Using Hybridization Chain Reaction-Sensitized Magnetic Nanoclusters and Affinity Chromatography

Pathogenicity and virulence of African swine fever virus

African swine fever (ASF) is a devastating disease with a high impact on the pork industry worldwide. ASF virus (ASFV) is a very complex pathogen, the sole member of the family Asfaviridae, which induces a state of immune suppression in the host through infection of myeloid cells and apoptosis of lymphocytes. Moreover, haemorrhages are the other main pathogenic effect of ASFV infection in pigs, related to the infection of endothelial cells, as well as the activation and structural changes of this cell population by proinflammatory cytokine upregulation within bystander monocytes and macrophages. There are still many gaps in the knowledge of the role of proteins produced by the ASFV, which is related to the difficulty in producing a safe and effective vaccine to combat the disease, although few candidates have been approved for use in Southeast Asia in the past couple of years.

Amplified fluorogenic immunoassay for early diagnosis and monitoring of Alzheimer's disease from tear fluid

Accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in its earliest stage can prevent the disease and delay the symptoms. Therefore, more sensitive, non-invasive, and simple screening tools are required for the early diagnosis and monitoring of AD. Here, we design a self-assembled nanoparticle-mediated amplified fluorogenic immunoassay (SNAFIA) consisting of magnetic and fluorophore-loaded polymeric nanoparticles. Using a discovery cohort of 21 subjects, proteomic analysis identifies adenylyl cyclase-associated protein 1 (CAP1) as a potential tear biomarker. The SNAFIA demonstrates a low detection limit (236 aM), good reliability (R2 = 0.991), and a wide analytical range (0.320-1000 fM) for CAP1 in tear fluid. Crucially, in the verification phase with 39 subjects, SNAFIA discriminates AD patients from healthy controls with 90% sensitivity and 100% specificity in under an hour. Utilizing tear fluid as a liquid biopsy, SNAFIA could potentially aid in long-term care planning, improve clinical trial efficiency, and accelerate therapeutic development for AD.

Current detection methods of African swine fever virus

African swine fever (ASF), caused by the African swine fever virus (ASFV), is a highly contagious and notifiable animal disease in domestic pigs and wild boars, as designated by the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH). The effective diagnosis of ASF holds great importance in promptly controlling its spread due to its increasing prevalence and the continuous emergence of variant strains. This paper offers a comprehensive review of the most common and up-to-date methods established for various genes/proteins associated with ASFV. The discussed methods primarily focus on the detection of viral genomes or particles, as well as the detection of ASFV associated antibodies. It is anticipated that this paper will serve as a reference for choosing appropriate diagnostic methods in diverse application scenarios, while also provide direction for the development of innovative technologies in the future.

Advanced Strategies for Developing Vaccines and Diagnostic Tools for African Swine Fever

African swine fever (ASF) is one of the most lethal infectious diseases affecting domestic pigs and wild boars of all ages. Over a span of 100 years, ASF has continued to spread over continents and adversely affects the global pig industry. To date, no vaccine or treatment has been approved. The complex genome structure and diverse variants facilitate the immune evasion of the ASF virus (ASFV). Recently, advanced technologies have been used to design various potential vaccine candidates and effective diagnostic tools. This review updates vaccine platforms that are currently being used worldwide, with a focus on genetically modified live attenuated vaccines, including an understanding of their potential efficacy and limitations of safety and stability. Furthermore, advanced ASFV detection technologies are presented that discuss and incorporate the challenges that remain to be addressed for conventional detection methods. We also highlight a nano-bio-based system that enhances sensitivity and specificity. A combination of prophylactic vaccines and point-of-care diagnostics can help effectively control the spread of ASFV.