Application of chimeric antigens to paper-based diagnostics for detection of West Nile virus infections of Crocodylus porosus: a novel animal test case.

A preprint abstract from biorxiv.org discusses the development of a novel diagnostic test for West Nile virus (WNV) infections in crocodiles. The researchers created a lateral flow assay (LFA) using chimeric viral antigens derived from the Binjari virus (BinJV) and modified to display the outer proteins of WNV. The LFA demonstrated 100% sensitivity and specificity in detecting WNV seroconversion in crocodiles, with results obtained in less than 15 minutes. The researchers suggest that this method could be adapted for detecting vector-borne virus infections in humans and other animals. However, it is important to note that this preprint has not yet undergone peer review. [Extracted from the article]