This equipment is vital to the research that will bring us a SARS vaccine

Ultracentrifuge for SARS vaccine research at BC Centre for Disease Control Level 3 laboratory

Epidemiological and experimental research point to a central role for the SARS associated corona virus (SARS-CoV) in causing the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. The BC Centre for Disease Control is a member organization in a broad collaborative known as the SARS Accelerated Vaccine Initiative (SAVI). SAVI's goal is to rapidly develop an effective vaccine for SARS which could be used to contain future outbreaks which might otherwise elude public health containment in Canada and overseas. Critical to the effort is the ability to grow, concentrate and purify the virus under Level 3 containment. Purified virus is used to: . develop diagnostic tests (Western Blot and other immunoassays). The use of purified virus is required to create standard test formats. . genome sequencing. Knowledge of whether the genome sequence is changing or evolving lets us know if we have a moving target for vaccine research. . Experiments which will define the elements of human immunity that proves protective against SARS. . Preparation of purified virus for immunization and studies. Inactivated or killed virus vaccines will be the first to be tested to see if they are protective in monkeys and ultimately humans. An ultracentrifuge (Beckman L-80K ultracentrifuge with an SW32Ti Rotor) is required for concentration and purification of the SARS-CoV at the BC Centre for Disease Control containment level 3 laboratory. Biosafety requirements at level 3 of containment mean that this high level lab needs a dedicated unit (one may not be moved in or out from other labs). This will be the only facility to purify the virus other than NML in Winnipeg. Hope for Health is assisting the B.C. Centre for Disease Control in their effort to discover the SARS vaccine by raising $75,000 for this important research Hope for Health is assisting Dr. Simor and in his Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre research. Laboratory Diagnosis of SARS Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) is a newly described infectious disease that has spread around the world in a few short months. As of July 4, the World Health Organization (W.H.O) reported a total of 8, 439 cases, with 812 deaths. There have been 376 cases reported in Ontario (246 "Probable" cases, and 130 "suspect" cases), with 39 deaths. A newly identified SARS-associated corona virus (SARS Co-V) is now thought to be the cause of this infection. As pointed out by W.H.O medical authorities, one of the greatest challenges to our ability to control future spread of SARS is the lack of a rapid and accurate diagnostic test. It is for this reason that the W.H.O and Health Canada case definitions remain "probable" and "suspect"; there is still no way to reliably "confirm" the diagnosis. This is critical because the current clinical and epidemiological case definitions may miss cases, and are also too non-specific. The current diagnostic testing for SARS is a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based assay to detect SARS Co-V viral RNA in patient samples. Unfortunately, the tests currently available have sensitivities that range from only 40% to 70% at best, and little is know about the test's specificity. There is an urgent need to develop methods to improve the sensitivity of the assay, and to validate it in a larger number of patient samples. It is also important to determine the best patient sample to be used for diagnostic testing. Our microbiology laboratory at Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Canter has worked with a consortium of laboratories (Hospital for Sick Children, Mount Sinai Hospital, Public Health Laboratory) to develop and validate a PCR assay for SARS-Co-V. We are now working to validate this assay in patient samples. Therefore, the objectives of this study are: . to optimize and validate the PCR assay in a large number of patient samples, from individuals under surveillance for respiratory infections, including those that might have SARS; . to determine the optimal timing of specimens for the diagnosis of SARS; . to determine the patient specimens that provide the greatest yield (sensitivity) for the diagnosis of SARS. In order to accomplish these study objectives we will continue to use the PCR assay for SARS-Co-V in patients with unexplained febrile and respiratory illness. Even though there have been no new cases of SARS in Ontario in the past three weeks, all Ontario hospitals have been directed to maintain intensive surveillance for SARS, and to submit specimens for testing from any hospitalized patient with new fever or respiratory symptoms. Moreover, there is concern that SARS may reappear next fall and winter, along with other seasonal respiratory viruses. The patient samples will be tested by RT-PCR, using the Light Cycler instrument Hope for Health is raising $74,000 to fund one laboratory research technologist, and the materials needed to test patient samples and run PCR assays.