Simple, Quantitative Sensitive High-throughput Antibody Detection for Lyme Disease

This technology is for compositions and methods for diagnosis of Lyme disease. Currently, Lyme disease is diagnosed by clinical exam and a history of exposure to endemic regions. Although, laboratory tests may aid diagnosis, the best tests currently available are slow and labor intensive and require understanding of the test, and infection stage. A two-step antibody based test process is currently the recommended laboratory test. The first step is either an enzyme immunoassay (EIA), or an indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA). If the first step is positive, a “Western blot” test is then performed. Because early intervention is critical to prevent neurological, rheumatological and cardiac damage from advanced infection, more sensitive, specific, simpler, high-throughput format laboratory diagnostics are needed. This technology uses a novel synthetic gene (VOVO) in a highly sensitive, specific and high-throughput Luciferase Immunoprecipitation Systems (LIPS) format. LIPS screening using VOVO offers an efficient and qualitative approach for serological screening of antibodies in Lyme disease in human and veterinary applications.