Precision Antibody in Columbia, Maryland said today that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded the company a contract to develop monoclonal antibodies to two species of Cryptosporidium — a.k.a “Crypto” — an intestinal parasite and common cause of waterborne illness in the United States.
EPA’s contract calls for Precision Antibody to generate specific antibodies that bind with a high level of specificity to the two most predominant Crypto species, C. parvum and C. hominis. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the Crypto parasite is protected by an outer shell that allows it to survive outside the body for long periods of time and makes it very resistant to chlorine disinfection.
The company says development of antibodies that substantially improve the sensitivity and specific detection and typing of this parasite over currently available methods may lead to improved tests for detecting Crypto in drinking water supplies and recreational waters as well as the potential to develop effective treatments for people infected by the pathogen.
RSS - Posts