Improved Methods for the Rapid Detection of Microbial Contaminants.

摘要

The IDT FIAX system has been demonstrated to be useful in the detection of various serum constituents by employing a solid-phase immunofluorescence technique. This project attempted to extend the use of this system to the detection of microbial contaminants,such as bacteria themselves or toxins produced by microorganisms. Escherichia coli was used as a model for demonstrating the feasibility of using the system for detection of microbes. Initial results indicate that the detection of microorganisms by the solid-phase immunofluorescence method is quite feasible with further development. This study has shown that by inhibiting specific fluorescent antibody with bacteria in a sample,less fluorescence is measured with the immobilized bacteria on the assay dipstick. That is,the amount of measurable fluorescence in the assay is inversely proportional to the amount of bacteria in the sample. Direct studies were not conducted on the applicability of the method to the detection of toxins,since it has been previously demonstrated that large biomolecules (serum proteins) and small biomolecules (thyroxine,gentamicin) can be quantitated using the FIAX system.