Ultrasensitive Detection of Viral and Virus-like Particles

Simple SummaryContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

This invention provides an ultrasensitive method and kit for detecting and characterizing virus particles (including virus-like particles) in various samples. The process involves capturing virus particles on a specially prepared substrate using capture molecules (such as antibodies), labeling them with probes that emit detectable signals (like fluorescent dyes), and identifying the presence and type of virus using high-resolution fluorescence microscopy (specifically TIRF). This allows both quantification (exact counting) and qualification (typing and characterization) of intact viruses, even at very low concentrations, from diverse sample types.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Clinical diagnostics for early detection of viral infections in patient samples (e.g., blood, urine, cerebrospinal fluid).
• Monitoring viral load and therapy effectiveness in antiviral treatment.
• Research on virus assembly, structure, and host–virus protein interactions.
• Differential and absolute quantification of multiple virus types, including non-cultivable viruses and bacteriophages, from environmental samples (e.g., water, food, soil).
• Screening for viral contamination in pharmaceuticals, food safety, and quality control.
• Detection of virus during epidemiological studies or pandemic surveillance.
• Support for clinical decision-making, such as inclusion in clinical trials based on viral load cutoff thresholds.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Much higher sensitivity than conventional bulk assays (like ELISA), capable of detecting single virus particles.
• Allows both counting (quantification) and identification (qualification/typing) of intact viruses, not just viral fragments or nucleic acids.
• Can distinguish between empty viral envelopes and fully assembled virus particles containing RNA/DNA.
• Reduces false positives/negatives compared to PCR or antibody-based ensemble measurements by spatially resolving single particle events.
• Applicable to a wide range of sample types (biological fluids, tissues, environmental, food samples) with minimal preparation.
• Suitable for non-cultivable and rare viruses, expanding diagnostic options beyond standard methods.
• Enables more precise therapeutic monitoring and rapid assessment of antiviral drugs' efficacy.
• Highly specific due to customizable capture molecules and multiplexing with different probes, enabling simultaneous detection of multiple virus types.

Technical Classifications (CPCs)

Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

The invention relates to a method for the quantitative and/or qualitative determination of virus particles containing at least one binding site for a capture molecule and at least one binding site for a probe. The invention further relates to a kit for carrying out said method and to various applications.