Abstract
A multicenter study was performed to compare the performance of a prototypic reversed passive latex agglutination assay (VTEC Screen “Seiken”; Denka-Seiken, Japan) with the Premier EHEC Enzyme Immunoassay (Meridian Diagnostics, USA) for the detection of Shiga toxin in 554 diarrheal stool samples. Standard culture on sorbitol MacConkey agar and the use of latex agglutination reagents were included to identify the Escherichia coli O157, O26 and O111 serotypes. There was 99% agreement between the VTEC screen and enzyme immunoassay (kappa=0.823). Seventeen samples were positive for toxin by one or both assays. One toxin-positive sample using the enzyme immunoassay and four positive samples using the VTEC Screen could not be confirmed. Serotypes identified included: O157:H7 (n=8), O26 (n=2), O111 (n=1) and O45:H2 (n=1). The VTEC screen is easy to perform and comparable to the Meridian EHEC test for detection of Shiga toxin in clinical samples.
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Acknowledgements
This study was supported in part by Denka-Seiken. The authors wish to thank James Dunn, PhD, for his critical review of the manuscript. This study was performed in compliance with human subjects research regulations in the USA.
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Carroll, K.C., Adamson, K., Korgenski, K. et al. Comparison of a Commercial Reversed Passive Latex Agglutination Assay to an Enzyme Immunoassay for the Detection of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli . Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 22, 689–692 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-003-1053-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-003-1053-9