Fast, Accurate Assay Differentiates Between Campylobacter Species

A real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay differentiates between three species of Campylobacter.

Most current screening procedures for Campylobacter are culture-based, take at least three days for a result, and do not differentiate between species without additional investigational work. The new Bax assay differentiates between the pathogenic species C jejuni, C coli, and C lari, and quantifies them. Results for highly contaminated samples (direct protocol) are available the same day, and take up to 48 hours for samples requiring enrichment

Oxoid Limited (Basingstoke, UK), marketing partner for the DuPont Qualicon Bax System in Europe, Australia, and Canada, launched the new Bax real-time PCR assay for Campylobacter. PCR is a method used for amplifying and detecting specific DNA in a sample. The Bax real-time Campylobacter assay, the first in a series of new real-time assays from DuPont Qualicon, uses PCR and probe-based chemistry to detect, quantify, and differentiate between these three species of Campylobacter in the same sample.

Target-specific probes (linked with different fluorescent markers) are displaced and cleaved from their target DNA during the amplification process, resulting in an increase in fluorescence. This fluorescence is measured at the end of each amplification cycle in real time. The system is simple and easy to use. Lysis is straight-forward and requires no additional equipment. All reagents required for PCR are supplied in a single tablet conveniently packaged inside the PCR tubes provided in each kit. Tableted reagents minimize the amount of hands-on time required for processing whilst simultaneously simplifying and standardizing the procedure. Results are interpreted automatically and are ready for reporting. If necessary, icons and graphs make further result interrogation simple and easy to visualize.

Campylobacter infection is a worldwide public health concern and is the leading cause of enteric illness in many countries. Campylobacter species differ from other food pathogens in that they do not multiply within the food. However, as few as 500 cells are sufficient to cause infection. The organism is endemic in many poultry populations and whilst normally responsible for self-limiting enteritis, infection in man can lead to severe complications such as arthritis and Guillain-Barré syndrome, an acute paralytic disease of the nervous system. Although C jejuni is responsible for approximately 90% of infections, C coli and C lari have also been implicated.




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