Detection of shiga toxins by lateral flow assay

Toxins (Basel). 2015 Apr 3;7(4):1163-73. doi: 10.3390/toxins7041163.

Abstract

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) produce shiga toxins (Stxs) that can cause human disease and death. The contamination of food products with STEC represents a food safety problem that necessitates rapid and effective detection strategies to mitigate risk. In this manuscript, we report the development of a colorimetric lateral flow assay (LFA) for the rapid detection of Stxs in <10 min using a pair of monoclonal antibodies that bind epitopes common to Stx1 and six Stx2 variants. This LFA provides a rapid and sensitive test for the detection of Stxs directly from STEC culture supernatants or at risk food samples with a 0.1 ng/mL limit of detection (LOD) for Stx2a. This Stx LFA is applicable for use in the rapid evaluation of Stx production from cultured E. coli strains or as a tool to augment current methods as part of food safety testing.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / immunology*
  • Food Contamination / analysis*
  • Food Microbiology
  • Immunoassay
  • Lactuca / chemistry
  • Lactuca / microbiology
  • Milk / chemistry
  • Milk / microbiology
  • Red Meat / analysis
  • Red Meat / microbiology
  • Shiga Toxins / analysis*
  • Shiga Toxins / immunology*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Shiga Toxins