SBIR/STTR Award attributes
Brucellosis is a worldwide re emerging bacterial zoonosis that can affect a range of different mammals including cattlesheepgoatsswinedogsand importantly humansEvery yearmore thanpeople worldwide are infected with virulent strains of Brucellagram negative coccobacillus from animal hostsEstimates have been made suggesting the true incidence may be much higherFour Brucella species that have animal hosts are known to cause brucellosis in humanB melitensisgoatsBabortuscattleBsuisswineand BcanisdogsBcanisBovis and the live attenuated bovine vaccine strain B abortus RBareroughstrainsdon t express the O specific polysaccharides on their LPSThe lack of this specific lipopolysaccharide antigen means that standard Brucella serological assays do not detect infection for rough strainsWe propose to construct a pan Brucella proteome microarray and to identify seroactive proteins in animals and humans infected with rough Brucella strainsThese specific protein antigens will be used for the development of a much needed sensitive and robust serological assay capable of detecting infection by rough strains of Brucella such as BcanisSuch serological test would have great economic benefits for the pet industry as well as for public health
