Expecting the unexpected: nucleic acid-based diagnosis and discovery of emerging viruses

Abstract

Extrapolation from recent disease history suggests that changes in the global environment, including virus, vector and human behavior, will continue to influence the spectrum of viruses to which humans are exposed. In this article, these environmental changes will be enumerated, and their potential impact on target-focused, nucleic acid-based diagnostic tests will be considered, followed by a presentation of some emerging technological responses.

Keywords::

• broad spectrum
• emerging viruses
• metagenomics
• microbead
• microsphere
• multiplex
• nanowire
• random PCR
• real-time PCR

Financial & competing interests disclosure

Ross Thomas Barnard is a coinventor on a patent describing a new multiplexable real-time PCR detection technology (Barnard RT, Barnett GR: WO 2007/003017). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.