Nick’s Test

Last Saturday…

• Nick and his group “Neisseria” were playing at the battle of the bands competition.

• He left his water bottle at the edge of the stage.

Neiserria received an encore…

• Nick was so excited that he forgot to collect his water bottle…

• He had to wait until the interval.

When he returned…

• There were several water bottles on stage so Nick just grabbed the one he thought was his…

• He was so thirsty he took a big drink…

Several days later…

• Nick is feeling sick.

• He is vomiting

• Has a temperature

• And a very stiff neck

He goes to the doctor…

• Who immediately orders a test for meningitis…

• You are the scientist

• Complete the diagnostic test to discover if Nick has Meningitis.

Prepare gold nanoparticles by adding antibodies…

• Antibodies can be glued onto the nanoparticles. These will stick directly to proteins on the meningitis bacteria if Nick has the disease.

Gold

Nano

Particle

Y

Y

YAntibodies

Y

Click to add antibodies…

Y

Y

Y

Y

How it works…• When the disease protein (green star) is

present, the nanoparticles clump together.

• There is a colour change from red to blue.

YY

Click to add the Nanoparticles

Let’s do multiple tests

To check that the test is working..

• We need some controls…

• Add Nanoparticles to the remaining wells..

Now for the samples…

First add the positive control- this should change colour because

it contains meningitis protein.

Pipette image: Microsoft Clipart

Let’s repeat the test…• The positive control is working properly.

Then add the negative control…• the negative control should not cause a

reaction because there are no meningitis proteins present.

Let’s repeat the test…• The negative control is working effectively.

Now let’s test Nick’s sample• The sample is negative…

+

-

Nick

We had better repeat the test• The other samples are positive.

+

-

Nick

Luckily we repeated the test!

Nick was placed onto intravenous antibiotic therapy…

As a precaution his band and his whole family was treated and

immunised..

• Even his annoying little sister …

• Who can play the triangle

• And can’t wait to join the band!

Nick made a full recovery…

• He still plays with his band…

• And he is still constantly irritated by his kid sister.

• Nick was very lucky to be treated so promptly thanks to your early diagnosis using nanotechnology.

Questions

• What is bacterial meningitis?• How did Nick contract the disease?• Why was it so important that Nick be diagnosed

early?• What are some of the serious implications of

having this disease?• Explain what is meant by a positive and a

negative control.• Why do scientists repeat their experiments?