Volatile Organic Biomarkers in Exhaled Breath as a Rapid, Prodromal, Diagnosis of Bioagent Infection

摘要

We have studied the feasibility of using biomarkers in exhaled breath as a prodromal diagnostic for bioagent infection. A compact sampling system was developed and used to collect more than 75 breath samples from 9 piglets. Three of the sampled piglets were uninfected control animals, three were infected with staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), and three with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (A.p.). We found that: volatile markers appeared several hours before outwardly noticeable physical symptoms of illness; volatile profiles for infected piglets were distinct from the uninfected animals and room background air samples; and the volatile profiles for SEB and A.p. were different.