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Product Name: West Nile virus dipstickCommercial Name: VecTest WNV/SLE Antigen Assay Application: Assay to detect West Nile virus infection in insect vectors Fielded: 2001 Company of manufacture: : Medical Analysis Systems, Inc. Target microorganism/associated disease: West Nile Virus (WNV) was first isolated and identified in 1937 in a febrile person in the West Nile district of Uganda. Prior to 1999, WNV caused only infrequent and mild febrile illnesses, mostly in Israel and Africa. After the mid-1990's, more notable outbreaks occurred in Romania, Russia and Israel causing significant neurologic disease in hundreds of persons. The first WNV infections in North American birds, horses and humans were noted in 1999. WNV is a single-stranded RNA virus related to Japanese encephalitis and St. Louis encephalitis. Humans and equines become infected via the bite of infected mosquitoes, and mosquitoes become infected after feeding on infected birds. WNV can cause fever, headache and flaccid paralysis in humans. Product information: The VecTest assay is a simple, rapid (15 minute) screening test for the detection of West Nile Virus and/or St. Louis encephalitis virus in mosquitoes, which was fielded in 2001 and is sold by Medical Analysis Systems, Inc. Reasons for development: NEED SOME TEXT Role of Department of Defense in product development:: The product was supported by the U.S. Army's Small Business Innovative Research Program. |
| Scrub Typhus | Malaria Parasite | West Nile Virus |
