Rapid Detection of Enterohaemorrhagic E.coli
Using Phage-Based Bioluminescent Assay
DC05-DC08
Correspondence
Dr. Rand Riadh Hafidh,
Senior Lecturer, Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Baghdad,
P.O. Box 61023, Postal Code 12114, Baghdad, Iraq.
E-mail: ranria77@yahoo.com
Introduction: There is a need for using a reliable, time-saving, and specific detection assay for coliforms, environmental E. coli, and Enterobacteriaceae worldwide.
Aim: To innovate a new principle of phage-based rapid diagnostic test in detecting E. coli bacteria in low titer and short time.
Materials and Methods: A phage mixture of 200 E. coli specific phages, including 22 specific for Enterohaemorrhagic E.coli (EHEC), were used in a new detection platform, a phage-based Adenylate Kinase Bioluminescence Assay (AKBA). Ten EHEC E. coli and 30 universal E.coli isolates were used for AKBA assay.
Results: AKBA showed positive detection of E.coli bacteria at 1000 CFU/ml in just 20 minutes. The phage-based detection was highly specific at strain level of E.coli. The sensitivity and specificity of AKBA was 74% and 78%, respectively.
Conclusion: A rapid and strain-specific diagnostic test was prepared to E.coli by using coliphages. The significance and impact of the study shows that it might be feasible to formulate a phage-based assay against any Gram negative or positive bacteria using the same approaches of the current AKBA assay with slight modifications.