来源：Pig Progress
作者：Treena Hein
A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection tool for African Swine Fever viral DNA created by a US firm has been successfully field-tested in Uganda. It may be employed in other areas of the world in future, when and where regulations allow it.
美国一家公司研制的非洲猪瘟病毒DNA聚合酶链反应（PCR）检测工具已在乌干达成功地进行了现场检测。在未来，在法规允许的时间和地点，它将可能用于世界其他地区。
Successful results of field studies in Uganda were recently published online in the journal Transboundary and Emerging Diseases by a team including scientists from the National Veterinary Institute in Sweden, Uganda’s National Animal Disease Diagnosis & Epidemiology Center and Tetracore. The latter is a private company in Rockville, MD, United States, developing assays and reagents for detecting infectious diseases, biological markers and more.
乌干达实地研究的成果最近在《越境与新发疾病》杂志上由一组瑞典国家兽医研究所、乌干达国家动物疾病诊断与流行病学中心和Tetracore等的科学家在线公布。后者是美国马里兰州洛克维尔的一家私营公司，开发用于检测传染病的化验和试剂、生物标记等。
Testing wild boar for ASF positive samples. Photo: Tetracore
检测野猪ASF阳性标本。
Portable ASF test launched in 2016
2016年启动的便携式ASF测试
Tetracore designed the 1st version of this test in 2000 and field tested an updated version as a portable platform in 2016, reported Dr Johnny Callahan, Tetracore’s veterinary diagnostics business development manager. The new version of the test was improved to allow the test to recognise the DNA sequence of the 24 known subtypes of the ASF virus.
据Tetracore兽医诊断业务开发经理Johnny Callahan博士报道，Tetracore于2000年设计了第一个版本的测试，并于2016年作为便携式平台对升级版本进行了现场测试。新版本的测试得到了改进，使测试能够识别24种已知的ASF病毒亚型的DNA序列。
He noted, “The published results of our tests in Uganda showed a 96% agreement of test results with the standard reference method, although this was not explicitly stated in the paper. In addition, our average threshold was significantly lower than the reference method, which could indicate improved detection of the Tetracore test in comparison.”
他指出：“我们在乌干达公布的试验结果表明，96%的试验结果与标准参考方法一致，尽管本文没有明确说明这一点。此外，我们的平均阈值明显低于参考方法，这表明相比之下，Tetracore试验的检测有所改善。”
While field testing is not permitted at this time in the US and other countries, Dr Callahan said, “I could see a potential scenario where veterinary authorities in China and South East Asia could utilise field technology to bring ASF virus testing to where it is needed in order to more quickly identify it.”
虽然美国和其他国家目前不允许进行实地测试，但Callahan博士说：“我可以看到一种可能的情况，即中国和东南亚的兽医当局可以利用实地技术将ASF病毒测试带到需要的地方，以便更快地识别该病毒。”
Technology advancing faster than policy
技术进步快于政策
There are times, he noted, where technology advances faster than policy. “We have the technology now, but testing for foreign animal diseases like ASFv are highly-controlled and regulated. There is good reason for that, in that the consequences of a false result can be catastrophic, either in the case of a false positive or a false negative result. Having said that, our test is currently undergoing additional validation studies in collaboration with multiple partners as we seek a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) license.”
他指出，有时技术进步比政策更快。“我们现在有了这项技术，但是对外来动物疾病的检测，如ASFV，是受到高度控制和管理的。这么做有充分的理由，无论是对阳性结果或阴性结果的错误判断，一个错误结果可能带来灾难性的后果。尽管如此，在我们寻求美国农业部（USDA）许可证的过程中，我们目前正在与多个合作伙伴合作对这项测试进行更多验证研究。”
A wild pig in Uganda is being put to the test. Photo: Tetracore
乌干达一只野猪正在接受测试。
This all follows work in 2004 in which Tetracore scientists, in collaboration with scientists from the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS), showed that Tetracore’s PCR test could accomplish preclinical diagnosis of ASF; the test detected viral DNA in pig tonsil scrapings several days prior to clinical disease onset.
这一切都是在2004年的工作之后进行的，在这项工作中，Tetracore科学家与美国农业部农业研究服务局（ARS）的科学家合作，显示Tetracore的PCR试验可以完成ASF的临床前诊断；该试验在临床疾病发生前几天在猪扁桃体切片中检测到病毒DNA。
In 2007, ARS requested that the same test be employed in Georgia (which borders Russia, Turkey and a few other countries), although it had never been tested outside the lab. It was a success, providing results after 60 to 90 minutes of analysis compared to the several hours required with conventional PCR assays.
2007年，ARS要求在格鲁吉亚（与俄罗斯、土耳其和其他一些国家接壤）采用同样的检测方法，尽管从未在实验室外进行过检测。这是一项成功的检测，与传统的PCR检测所需的几个小时相比，只需60到90分钟的分析即可得出结果。
（文/爱猪网记者刘坤颖编译，爱猪网原创，转载请注明出处）
