最近一項(xiàng)研究證實(shí)：一種新型快速檢測(cè)方法用于檢測(cè)暴露于西尼羅河病毒感染患者的時(shí)候，敏感性和特異性極高。

許多西尼羅河感染患者有非特異性的發(fā)熱、頭痛、乏力以及其它流感樣癥狀。根據(jù)美國(guó)疾病控制與預(yù)防中心（CDC，Atlanta, GA, USA）的研究結(jié)果，每150例西尼羅河病毒感染患者中有1例會(huì)發(fā)展成為嚴(yán)重感染，例如腦炎或者腦膜炎，有可能會(huì)導(dǎo)致癱瘓或者死亡。

這種新型檢測(cè)方法是由Spectral診斷集團(tuán)(Toronto, Canada)研制開(kāi)發(fā)的。迄今為止，這是唯一的西尼羅河病毒檢測(cè)方法，用于患者在拜訪醫(yī)生的時(shí)候，進(jìn)行單個(gè)患者的依次檢測(cè)。光譜診斷同樣被研制開(kāi)發(fā)用于膿毒敗血癥的快速檢測(cè)，以及用于測(cè)定心肌梗塞的指標(biāo)。

Spectral公司執(zhí)行總裁Paul Walker博士說(shuō)：“這次成功的研究標(biāo)志著Spectral公司西尼羅河病毒感染新型快速檢測(cè)方法研制開(kāi)發(fā)工作獲得了成功。我們的計(jì)劃表仍然將這個(gè)研制開(kāi)發(fā)作為常規(guī)戰(zhàn)略，將呈遞給加拿大和美國(guó)有關(guān)當(dāng)局進(jìn)行審批，允許醫(yī)生在2005年西尼羅河病毒夏季感染高峰的時(shí)候使用這項(xiàng)檢測(cè)方法。
Rapid Assay for West Nile Virus
 
A study has demonstrated that a novel rapid assay has a high degree of sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing West Nile virus (WNV) exposure in patients at risk.

Many patients with WNV infection have nonspecific symptoms of fever, headache, malaise, or other flu-like symptoms. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, Atlanta, GA, USA), about one in 150 patients infected with WNV will develop a serious infection such as encephalitis or meningitis, which can result in paralysis or death.

The new test was developed by Spectral Diagnostics, Inc. (Toronto, Canada). To date, it is the only rapid point-of-care test available for WNV that is intended for individual patient-by-patient application at the time of a patient’s visit to a doctor. Spectral Diagnostics has also developed a rapid test for sepsis and a test for measuring markers of myocardial infarction.

“This successful study marks the conclusion of the development phase of Spectral’s novel rapid assay for detecting human infection with the West Nile Virus,” said Dr. Paul Walker, M.D., Ph.D., CEO of Spectral. “We remain on schedule with our regulatory strategy to submit this test for consideration to Canadian and U.S. regulators to allow physicians to access this test in time for the 2005 WNV summer season.”