最近一項研究證實：一種新型快速檢測方法用于檢測暴露于西尼羅河病毒感染患者的時候，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例會發(fā)展成為嚴(yán)重感染，例如腦炎或者腦膜炎，有可能會導(dǎo)致癱瘓或者死亡。

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

Spectral公司執(zhí)行總裁Paul Walker博士說：“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方法研制開發(fā)工作獲得了成功。我們的計劃表仍然將這個研制開發(fā)作為常規(guī)戰(zhàn)略，將呈遞給加拿大和美國有關(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候使用這項檢測方法。
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.”