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The 5th International Conference on Basic and Therapeutic Aspects of Botulinum and Tetanus Neurotoxins. Workshop Review: Assays and Detection

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Abstract

The development of diagnostic tests for the botulinum neurotoxins is complicated by their extremely high potencies and the considerable diversity observed within the neurotoxin family. Current approaches for the detection of the toxins and the organism include amplified immunoassays and PCR techniques. Assays which exploit the biological activities within the botulinum toxins are also in development. These are based on both antibody and mass spectrometric techniques which measure the endopeptidase activities of the neurotoxins. This overview of theAssays and Detection Workshop of the 5th International Conference on Basic and Therapeutic Aspects of Botulinum and Tetanus Neurotoxins discusses recent progress in the development of these assay systems and the issues that need to be overcome prior to their implementation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Health Protection Agency, Centre for Emergency Preparedness & Response, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, Wiltshire, UK

    Clifford Shone & Elizabeth Evans

  2. Botulism Public Health Research and Preparedness Laboratory, National Botulism Surveillance and Reference Unit, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road N.E., 30333, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Joseph Ferreira & John Kools

  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Environmental Health, 4770 Buford Hwy NE, Bldg 17, 30341, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Anne Boyer

  4. Wad-sworth Center, New York State Department of Health, 12208, Albany, NY, USA

    Nick Cirino & Christina Egan

  5. Food and Drug Administration/CFSAN, 20740, College Park, MD, USA

    Shashi Sharma

Authors
  1. Clifford Shone
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  2. Joseph Ferreira
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  3. Anne Boyer
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  4. Nick Cirino
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  5. Christina Egan
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  6. Elizabeth Evans
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  7. John Kools
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  8. Shashi Sharma
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Correspondence to Clifford Shone.

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Shone, C., Ferreira, J., Boyer, A. et al. The 5th International Conference on Basic and Therapeutic Aspects of Botulinum and Tetanus Neurotoxins. Workshop Review: Assays and Detection. neurotox res 9, 205–216 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03033940

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03033940

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