SPADA

Diagnostics

• Why “if?”

• Proponents, in 1999, that EM and standard PCR

techniques were sufficient for smallpox diagnostics

– As of 2002 – survey of EM capacity in state health

departments reveals only 3-8 with skilled capability to any

capability

– Newer technology: real time PCR

Diagnostics: Nucleic Acid Testing

Real Time PCR Assays

• Platform supported at Laboratory Response Network

(LRN)

Hi h th h t

• g roug pu

• Sensitive/specific

– Sensitive to 1-50 genome copies

– Historically lesion samples contained 10

-10

infectious virions

Assays validated against authentic

Variola virus

genomic material

–

• Limitations:

– time to get samples to reference labs