A competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detecting Escherichia coli heat-stable enterotoxin and its application to clinical isolates.
Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) are well recognised enteric pathogens. The epidemiology of heat-stable enterotoxin (STa) producing strains has not been established due mainly to difficulties encountered in performing bioassays on a large scale in baby mice. This study describes a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detecting STa and its application to clinical isolates. Compared to the bioassay, the ELISA had a specificity of 93.7% and a sensitivity of 90.9%. It detected as little as 1 microgram/l STa. Of 720 E. coli isolates from children with diarrhoea, 69 (9.6%) were positive for STa by ELISA.
Cryan
B
B
Department of Medical Microbiology, Regional Hospital, Galway, Republic of Ireland.
D000818:Animals; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000032:analysis*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000382:microbiology; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000032:analysis*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests
D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004768:Enterotoxins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; C034151:heat stable toxin (E coli)