Method for the diagnosis of pathological conditions in animals

Abstract

Provided is a method for diagnosing a disease or pathological condition in an animal. An ion mobility spectrometry measurement (IMS) or a differential mobility spectrometry (DMS) is carried out on a body sample from the animal to determine an amount of ions formed by at least two biogenic amines contained in the sample. A ratio is calculated of the amounts of ions formed by the different biogenic amines in the sample, wherein the ratio is indicative of the presence or absence of the disease or pathological condition. Also provided is a device for collecting a body sample from an animal and a method for obtaining a body sample from an animal.

1 . A method for diagnosing a disease or pathological condition in an animal, comprising:
 (a) obtaining a body sample from the animal;   (b) carrying out an ion mobility spectrometry measurement (IMS) or a differential mobility spectrometry (DMS) on the sample thereby determining an amount of ions formed by at least one biogenic amine contained in the sample; and   (c) calculating a ratio of the amounts of ions formed by the different biogenic amines in the sample, wherein the ratio is indicative of the disease or pathological condition.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the body sample is taken from male genitalia, female genitalia, udder, liver, heart, muscle, brain, tongue, throat, ears, nose, lungs, skin, or lymph node. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the disease or pathological condition is selected from the group consisting of bacterial vaginosis, inflammation, cancer, and bronchitis. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the disease or pathological condition is caused by bacteria, viruses, anaerobic microorganisms, or fungi. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the body sample is a sample of vaginal fluid, wherein at least one of the amines comprises trimethylamine (TMA), and wherein the pathological conditions comprise vaginal disorders. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the amines comprise putrescine or cadaverine. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , comprising calculating the ratio of the amounts of ions formed by trimethylamine and ions formed by all biogenic amines present in the sample, and diagnosing the presence of bacterial vaginosis if the ratio is above a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the predetermined threshold is in the range of 0.4-2. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , comprising diagnosing the presence of bacterial vaginosis if the ratio TMA signal is above a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5 , comprising calculating the ratio of the amounts of ions formed by trimethylamine and ions formed by all biogenic amines present in the sample, and diagnosing the absence of bacterial vaginosis if the ratio is below a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the predetermined threshold is about 0.2. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising calculating the ratio of the amounts of ions formed by trimethylamine and ions formed by all biogenic amines present in the sample, and diagnosing the absence of bacterial vaginosis if the TMA signal is below a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein abnormally high amounts of putrescine or cadaverine indicate a pathological condition. 
     
     
         14 . A device for collecting a body sample from an animal, comprising:
 (a) a slender shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;   (b) a sample collector attached to the distal end of the shaft; and   (c) a sheath surrounding the shaft and extending from the proximal end of the shaft to the distal end of the shaft, the sheath being slidable between a first position in which the sheath covers the sample collector, and a second position in which the sheath does not cover the sample collector.   
     
     
         15 . The device according to  claim 14 , wherein the sample collector is a wad of absorbent material. 
     
     
         16 . A method for collecting a body sample from an animal, comprising:
 (a) inserting the distal end of the shaft of a device according to  claim 14 , into a body cavity of an animal, with the sheath covering the sample collector;   (b) sliding the sheath proximally over the shaft to expose the collector;   (c) collecting a body sample;   (d) sliding the sheath distally to re-cover the collector; and   (e) removing the device from the animal body.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the sample collector is a wad of absorbent material. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein a body step of collecting the sample comprises wiping the wad of absorbent material on a body surface in the body cavity of the animal. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the body cavity is a vagina.