Velvet disease detection device, system and method
Velvet disease infestation is detected using affinity reagents that are cross-reactive with one or more A. ocellatum or P. pillulare antigens. The analysis may be performed shipboard, dockside, in an aquaculture or aquarium setting, otherwise in situ at the point of sample collection or elsewhere. The results may be used to monitor health and disease of captured or cultured fish species or the safety of water to be introduced into an aquaculture facility.
1 . A device for detecting velvet disease infestation in aquaculture and fishing, the device comprising: a test plate comprising a support bearing at least one conjugated (detection) affinity reagent and at least one immobilized (capture) affinity reagent that are cross-reactive with one or more Amyloodinium ocellatum (AO) antigens or Piscinoodinium pillulare (PP) antigens, the conjugated affinity reagent and the immobilized affinity reagent being selected to target two infectious life stages of AO, PP, or AO and PP, the conjugated affinity reagent and the immobilized affinity reagent being bound to the support or bound to particles that can migrate along the support.
2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the affinity reagents are cross-reactive with one or more AO antigens.
3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the affinity reagents are cross-reactive with one or more PP antigens.
4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the affinity reagents are cross-reactive with one or more AO antigens and one or more PP antigens.
5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the affinity reagents are bound to the support.
6 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the affinity reagents are bound to particles that can migrate along the support.
7 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising the support bearing a sample.
8 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the affinity reagents are aptamers.
9 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the affinity reagents are rmAbs.
10 . The device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the affinity reagents is an aptamer and at least one of the affinity reagents is an rmAb, and wherein the two infectious life stages are the dinospore and trophont life stages.
11 . A device for detecting velvet disease infestation in aquaculture and fishing, the device comprising: a test plate comprising a support bearing at least one conjugated (detection) affinity reagent and at least one immobilized (capture) affinity reagent that are cross-reactive with one or more Amyloodinium ocellatum (AO) antigens or Piscinoodinium pillulare (PP) antigens, the conjugated affinity reagent and the immobilized affinity reagent being selected to target two infectious life stages of AO, PP, or AO and PP, the conjugated affinity reagent and the immobilized affinity reagent being bound to the support or bound to particles that can migrate along the support.
12 . The system of claim 11 , further comprising:
a processor; and
an engine for detecting AO or PP antigens in the sample.
13 . The system of claim 12 , further comprising storage for a set of sample locations, sample dates, and detected velvet disease antigen presence in the samples.
14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the affinity reagents are aptamers.
15 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the affinity reagents are rmAbs.
16 . The system of claim 11 , wherein at least of the affinity reagents is an aptamer and at least one of the affinity reagents is an rmAb, and wherein the two infectious life stages are the dinospore and trophont life stages.
17 . A device for detecting velvet disease infestation in aquaculture and fishing, the device comprising: a test plate comprising a support bearing at least one conjugated (detection) affinity reagent and at least one immobilized (capture) affinity reagent that are cross-reactive with one or more Amyloodinium ocellatum (AO) antigens or Piscinoodinium pillulare (PP) antigens, the conjugated affinity reagent and the immobilized affinity reagent being selected to target two infectious life stages of AO, PP, or AO and PP, the conjugated affinity reagent and the immobilized affinity reagent being bound to the support or bound to particles that can migrate along the support.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the affinity reagents are aptamers.
19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the affinity reagents are rmAbs.
20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein at least one of the affinity reagents is an aptamer and at least one of the affinity reagents is an rmAb, and wherein the two infectious life stages are the dinospore and trophont life stages.