Launch of PLEX-ID Vector-Borne BPN Assay

The PLEX-ID Vector-Borne BPN assay is a single broad range molecular assay that can detect protozoa, bacteria, and nematodes from a wide range of specimen types including ticks, fleas, mosquitoes, and whole blood that are known to cause Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, and anaplasmosis. This assay has been used in vector-borne disease surveillance studies in New York and Connecticut where 299 blacklegged ticks were collected and analyzed using the Ibis technology for a wide range of vector-borne microorganisms. Results showed that 64.5 percent of the ticks were infected with B. burgdoferi, the agent of Lyme disease, and a third of these positive ticks had other important microorganisms such as Babesia microti or Anaplasma phagocytophilum. The research demonstrated that the Ibis technology can detect and identify B. burgdorferi as well as co-infection with other pathogens without the need to culture.