Methods and devices for detection of the strain of a pathogen

Abstract

Provided are methods and devices for determining the strain of a pathogen in a sample.

1 . A method, comprising
 a) contacting a sample comprising a pathogen with a first antibody specific for a variant-specific portion of the pathogen, wherein a pathogen-first antibody complex is formed if the variant-specific portion is present on the pathogen in the sample;   b) removing the pathogen-first antibody complexes from said sample, if present;   c) contacting the sample with a second antibody specific for a non-variant-specific portion of the pathogen, wherein a pathogen-second antibody complex is formed if the pathogen is still present in the sample; and   d) detecting the presence or absence of the second pathogen-antibody complexes; wherein the absence of said second pathogen-antibody complex indicates that the pathogen is of the variant for which the first antibody is specific.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pathogen is influenza type A. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first antibody is selected from the group consisting of: an anti-H3 antibody and an anti-H5 antibody. 
     
     
         4 . A device, comprising:
 a carrier defining a flow path extending at least from a sample receiving zone to a detection zone,   immobilized first antibodies specific for a variant-specific portion of a pathogen of interest disposed along the flow path,   immobilized second antibodies specific for a non-variant-specific portion of the pathogen of interest; and   wherein:   a liquid sample comprising a pathogen received by the receiving zone migrates along the flow path on which the first antibodies are immobilized, and   if the pathogen is of the variant for which the first antibodies are specific, the first antibodies capture the pathogen along the flow path and remove it from the sample prior to it reaching the detection zone.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the pathogen is influenza type A. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first antibody is selected from the group consisting of: an anti-H3 antibody and an anti-H5 antibody. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the second antibody is anti-H1 antibody.