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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Albany, California » Western Regional Research Center » Produce Safety and Microbiology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #317850
Title: Detection of shiga toxins by lateral flow assay

Author
item Ching, Kathryn
item He, Xiaohua
item Stanker, Larry
item Lin, Alice
item McGarvey, Jeffery - Jeff
item Hnasko, Robert

Submitted to: Toxins
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/30/2015
Publication Date: 4/3/2015
Citation: Ching, K.H., He, X., Stanker, L.H., Lin, A.V., Mcgarvey, J.A., Hnasko, R.M. 2015. Detection of shiga toxins by lateral flow assay. Toxins. 7:1163-1173. doi: 10.3390/Toxins7041163.

Interpretive Summary: We have developed a rapid and sensitive lateral flow immunoassay for the detection of Shiga toxins (Stx) produced by Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC). These bacterial toxins are responsible for foodborne illness after consumption of contaminated foods. Our device is simple to use, inexpensive and disposable. A positive result is indicated by a visible red test line in <10 minutes. These test strips require minimal end-user training and can be used throughout food production to identify potential sources of Stx/STEC contamination to improve food safety.

Technical 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 both Stx1 and 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.