The finding that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients often produce antibodies against citrullinated peptides and proteins was a major advance both in understanding the mechanisms that trigger the disease and in its early diagnosis. Citrulline is a “nonstandard” amino acid that forms in the inflammatory environment as a result of the action of the enzyme peptidiliargininine deaminase on arginine residues present in proteins. Anti-citrullinated peptides are produced locally in the synovium of RA patients. The introduction of new immunoassays based on specially selected cyclic citrullinated peptides (CCP), allowed the development of tests with sensitivity equal to or better than traditional rheumatoid factor (RF), but with a much higher specificity. In addition to this, it was demonstrated that the presence of anti-CCP is both an early marker of AR (anti-CCP can be found up to 10 years before the onset of symptoms) and a marker of the severity of the disease. DIESSE is offering the new second generation anti-CCP Chorus kit to complete its line of tests for the serological diagnosis of systemic inflammatory diseases, in the convenient and pratical single determination format.
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Globe Scientific’s Uniplast™ plastic serological pipettes feature a onepiece construction designed to eliminate the risk of breakage and sample retention. Clear black graduation marks prevent ambiguity and guarantee precise liquid reading and >98% accuracy. The serological pipettes are produced from crystal clear virgin polystyrene (PS) and are colour coded for easy volume identification. The calibration of the pipettes is certified for accuracy. Each pipette has a bonded polyolefin aerosol barrier plug to prevent pipettor contamination. The specially designed tip provides the best fill and release rates. Sterile pipettes are RNase-free, DNase-free, non-pyrogenic, non-hemolytic and non-cytotoxic. Manufactured under strict ISO 9001:2008 quality standards. they are available in 1mL, 2mL, 5mL, 10mL and 25mL sizes.
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Designed for the measurement of MxA protein in human whole blood, an innovative ELISA based on the use of patented monoclonal antibodies and a special buffer to extract the cytoplasmic MxA protein is suitable for the monitoring of IFN-β therapy in multiple sclerosis patients and for viral infection recognition. Human Myxovirus protein A is induced exclusively by IFN-α and IFN-β. Since direct measurement of the IFN levels in plasma is difficult, MxA may be useful as a marker distinguishing viral disease from bacterial infection or from acute graft-versus-host disease after allogenic stem cell transplantation. Neutralizing antibodies may develop during the IFN-β therapy of multiple sclerosis and lead to loss of drug bioactivity. The IFN-β-inducible MxA protein is an ideal marker of IFN-β bioavailability, capable of discriminating between biologically responsive and non-responsive patients. The BioVendor assay meets all the requirements for routine clinical use in manual mode as well as on open ELISA robotic systems.
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Two new Anti-Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) ELISAs provide reliable detection of HEVspecific antibodies of class IgG and IgM. The IgG ELISA is, moreover, the only commercial HEV ELISA to provide quantification in international units (IU/ml). The assay is calibrated according to the WHO reference serum and shows first-rate linearity with respect to this standard. The ELISA microplates are coated with highly purified recombinant HEV structural proteins, which ensure high sensitivity and specificity in antibody detection. The Anti-HEV ELISAs are ideal for differential diagnosis, for epidemiological studies and, in combination with PCR, for blood donor screening. The tests are easy to perform and can be fully automated on microplate processing systems such as the company’s Analyzer series. Infections with HEV are the most frequent cause on non-A, non-B hepatitis worldwide. They are generally acquired fecal-orally via contaminated drinking water or food (e.g. insufficiently cooked pork). HEV is endemic primarily in countries with low standards of hygiene, but is also increasingly observed in industrialized nations. HEV infections generally take a mild course, but in rare cases they can lead to acute liver failure. Prognosis is particularly poor in pregnant women, and in this group the mortality rate reaches up to 20%. Since an HEV infection resembles hepatitis A and other hepatides in the preliminary stages, differential diagnostic tests as part of the clinical and laboratory investigation are essential. Alongside PCR analysis of viral RNA in blood or stool, the serological detection of HEV-specific IgM and IgG antibodies plays a decisive role in acute HEV diagnostics.
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