Methods of testing for intracellular pathogens

Abstract

A first intracellular pathogen in a biological sample that may contain more than one intracellular pathogen is studied by a method comprising the steps of (i) contacting the sample with a population of cells in the presence of an agent inhibiting the reproduction of a second intracellular pathogen; (ii) incubating the cells under conditions that permit the reproduction of the first intracellular pathogen; and (iii) testing material arising from step (ii) for the first intracellular pathogen.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A process for testing for a first intracellular pathogen in a biological sample, comprising the steps of:
 (i) contacting the sample with a population of cells in the presence of an inhibitory agent, wherein the inhibitory agent specifically inhibits the reproduction of a second intracellular pathogen that is known to be present in the sample;   (ii) incubating the cells under conditions that permit the reproduction of the first intracellular pathogen while the second intracellular pathogen is inhibited from reproducing by the presence of the inhibitory agent; and   (iii) testing material arising from step (ii) for the first intracellular pathogen by transmission electron microscopy, a reverse transcription-based biochemical test for retroviruses, detection of a cytopathic effect, a PCR-based molecular genetic test, an animal inoculation test or infection of embryonated eggs.   
     
     
         22 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the first intracellular pathogen comprises a prokaryote, a eukaryote and/or a virus. 
     
     
         23 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the second intracellular pathogen comprises a prokaryote, a eukaryote and/or a virus. 
     
     
         24 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the second intracellular pathogen comprises a virus. 
     
     
         25 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the first intracellular pathogen comprises one or more pathogens selected from  Bartonella, Bordetella, Brucella, Chlamydiae, Chlamydia, Chlamydophila, Ehrlichia, Escherichia, Francisella, Legionella, Listeria, Mycobacterium, Mycobacterium, Rickettsiae, Salmonella, Shigella, Streptococcus, Yersinia, Babesia, Cryptococcus, Cryptosporidium, Eimeria, Histoplasma, Leishmania, Plasmodium, Theileria, Toxoplasma, Trypanosoma, Pneumovirinae , the  Pneumovirus  genus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), Morbilliviruses of the Paramyxoviridae family, the measles virus, Enteroviruses of the Picornaviridae family, Coxsackie viruses, echoviruses and enteroviruses, mammalian Reoviridae, avian Reoviridae, orthoreoviruses, rotaviruses, Metapneumoviruses of the Paramyxoviridae family, human metapneumovirus (HMPV), Rubulaviruses of the Paramyxoviridae family, mumps virus, Togaviridae, Rubella virus, Coronaviridae, human coronaviruses, SARS coronavirus, Rhinoviruses of the Picornaviridae family, M-strains of Rhinovirus, Varicella Zoster virus (VZV), human herpes virus 2 (HHV3), Polyomaviridae, SV-40 polyomavirus, BK polyomavirus, JC polyomavirus, porcine circoviruses, porcine picornaviruses, swine vesicular disease virus (SVDV), Teschen-Talfan virus, Parvoviruses, canine parvovirus (CPV), porcine parvoviruses, Bocaviruses, Orthomyxoviridae, influenza A virus, influenza B virus, influenza C virus, Parainfluenza viruses (PIV), Paramyxoviridae paramyvovirinae, Parainfluenza virus type 1, Parainfluenza virus type 2, Parainfluenza virus type 3, Parainfluenza virus type 4, Parainfluenza virus type 5, Herpesviridae, herpes simplex virus 1 and 2, Adenoviridae, adenoviruses, human and simian adenovirus, avian circoviruses, bimaviridae, and infectious bursal disease virus (also known as gumboro virus). 
     
     
         26 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein said second intracellular pathogen comprises a pathogen selected from  Bartonella, Bordetella, Brucella, Chlamydiae, Chlamydia, Chlamydophila, Ehrlichia, Escherichia, Francisella, Legionella, Listeria, Mycobacterium, Mycobacterium, Rickettsiae, Salmonella, Shigella, Streptococcus, Yersinia, Babesia, Cryptococcus, Cryptosporidium, Eimeria, Histoplasma, Leishmania, Plasmodium, Theileria, Toxoplasma, Trypanosoma, Pneumovirinae , the  Pneumovirus  genus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), Morbilliviruses of the Paramyxoviridae family, the measles virus, Enteroviruses of the Picornaviridae family, Coxsackie viruses, echoviruses and enteroviruses, mammalian Reoviridae, avian Reoviridae, orthoreoviruses, rotaviruses, Metapneumoviruses of the Paramyxoviridae family, human metapneumovirus (HMPV), Rubulaviruses of the Paramyxoviridae family, mumps virus, Togaviridae, Rubella virus, Coronaviridae, human coronaviruses, SARS coronavirus, Rhinoviruses of the Picornaviridae family, M-strains of Rhinovirus, Varicella Zoster virus (VZV), human herpes virus 2 (HHV3), Polyomaviridae, SV-40 polyomavirus, BK polyomavirus, JC polyomavirus, porcine circoviruses, porcine picornaviruses, swine vesicular disease virus (SVDV), Teschen-Talfan virus, Parvoviruses, canine parvovirus (CPV), porcine parvoviruses, Bocaviruses, Orthomyxoviridae, influenza A virus, influenza B virus, influenza C virus, Parainfluenza viruses (PIV), Paramyxoviridae paramyvovirinae, Parainfluenza virus type 1, Parainfluenza virus type 2, Parainfluenza virus type 3, Parainfluenza virus type 4, Parainfluenza virus type 5, Herpesviridae, herpes simplex virus 1 and 2, Adenoviridae, adenoviruses, human and simian adenovirus, avian circoviruses, bimaviridae, and infectious bursal disease virus (also known as gumboro virus). 
     
     
         27 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein it is unknown whether the first intracellular pathogen is present in the biological sample to be tested. 
     
     
         28 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the second intracellular pathogen is a virus. 
     
     
         29 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein one or both of the biological sample and the population of cells comprise or are derived from mammalian cells. 
     
     
         30 . The process of  claim 29 , wherein the mammalian cells comprise one or more of hamster, cattle, primate, human, monkey and dog cells. 
     
     
         31 . The process of  claim 29 , wherein the mammalian cells comprise one or more of kidney cells, fibroblasts, retinal cells, liver cells, lung cells. 
     
     
         32 . The process of  claim 29 , wherein the mammalian cells are MDCK cells. 
     
     
         33 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the inhibitory agent comprises an oligomeric compound. 
     
     
         34 . The process of  claim 33 , wherein the oligomeric compound is capable of complementary base pairing to a nucleotide sequence present in, encoded by and/or transcribed from the genome of the second intracellular pathogen. 
     
     
         35 . The process of  claim 34 , wherein the oligomeric compound acts by RNAi to inhibit the reproduction of the second intracellular pathogen. 
     
     
         36 . The process of  claim 35 , wherein the inhibitory agent comprising the oligomeric compound is double-stranded. 
     
     
         37 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the inhibitory agent is an antifungal agent. 
     
     
         38 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the inhibitory agent is an antiviral agent. 
     
     
         39 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the inhibitory agent is an antibacterial agent. 
     
     
         40 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein a test result of step (iii) is obtained within 12 months. 
     
     
         41 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the inhibitory agent specifically inhibits the intracellular reproduction of the second intracellular pathogen.