title: Rapid detection of Bacillus anthracis by γ phage amplification and lateral flow immunochromatography.
abstract: New, rapid point-of-need diagnostic methods for Bacillus anthracis detection can enhance civil and military responses to accidental or deliberate dispersal of anthrax as a biological weapon. Current laboratory-based methods for clinical identification of B. anthracis require 12 to 120h, and are confirmed by plaque assay using the well-characterized γ typing phage, which requires an additional minimum of 24h for bacterial culture. To reduce testing time, the natural specificity of γ phage amplification was investigated in combination with lateral flow immunochromatography (LFI) for rapid, point-of-need B. anthracis detection. Phage-based LFI detection of B. anthracis Sterne was validated over a range of bacterial and phage concentrations with optimal detection achieved in as little as 2h from the onset of amplification with a threshold sensitivity of 2.5×10(4)cfu/mL. The novel use of γ phage amplification detected with a simple, inexpensive LFI assay provides a rapid, sensitive, highly accurate, and field-deployable method for diagnostic ID of B. anthracis in a fraction of the time required by conventional techniques, and without the need for extensive laboratory culture.
authors: Colorado School of Mines, Department of Chemistry and Geochemistry, Golden, CO 80401, United States.
authors: Christopher R
authors: CR
authors: Cox
authors: Colorado School of Mines, Department of Chemistry and Geochemistry, Golden, CO 80401, United States.
authors: Kirk R
authors: KR
authors: Jensen
authors: Romonics, LLC, Boulder, CO 80301, United States.
authors: Roy R
authors: RR
authors: Mondesire
authors: Colorado School of Mines, Department of Chemistry and Geochemistry, Golden, CO 80401, United States.
authors: Kent J
authors: KJ
authors: Voorhees
mesh_terms: D017103:Bacillus Phages / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology; D001408:Bacillus anthracis / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000821:virology; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity / Q000379:methods*; D000067716:Point-of-Care Testing; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Bacillus anthracis; Bacteriophage amplification; Lateral flow immunochromatography; Point-of-need diagnostics