Direct peptidoglycan detection test for early Lyme disease
This technology is a new way to detect Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme disease, by identifying a specific sugar molecule — a GlcNAc-GlcNAc-MurNAc trisaccharide — found in its cell wall material called peptidoglycan. Current standard Lyme tests detect antibodies the patient's immune system produces, which can be inaccurate early in infection or in immunocompromised patients. This method directly detects a structural component of the bacterium itself, potentially enabling earlier and more accurate diagnosis. The approach could be applied to blood, tissue, or other biological samples using antibody-based detection tools.
What you could build
A direct-detection diagnostic assay or test kit for Lyme disease targeting this bacterial sugar marker, sold to clinical diagnostic labs, hospital systems, and point-of-care testing companies seeking a more reliable alternative to current two-tier serology testing.
Who in Virginia should care
Virginia-based infectious disease diagnostics companies, federal health contractors near NIH/CDC-adjacent agencies, and military medical programs at Walter Reed or Fort Belvoir dealing with tick-borne illness in personnel.
Readiness: Concept
Concept — described but not yet demonstrated. Lab validated — supported by experimental results in the patent. Prototype likely — the text describes a built, working embodiment.
Readiness is inferred from the patent text, not from a lab visit.
The record
- Inventors
- Brandon Jutras
- Filed
- Patent pending — filed May 10, 2024
- Status
- Application
- Publication number
- US20250298019A1
Ready to talk?
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties handles licensing for this technology.
Prosim summaries are generated from public patent text and are not legal advice.