Warnex has announced the launch of a quantitative test for Campylobacter for use with the real-time PCR-based Warnex rapid pathogen detection system
With no enrichment required, this test detects and quantifies Campylobacter in poultry rinses within three hours.
This is the first PCR-based test available to the food industry that quantifies the amount of Campylobacter present in a sample.
"Given the prevalence of Campylobacter infections from food, particularly poultry, there is an increasing need for rapid tests that detect this pathogen," said Mark Busgang, president and CEO of Warnex.
"For instance, in Europe, new regulations for decreasing the incidence of Campylobacter infection are imminent".
"Our test, which detects and quantifies this pathogen, can be instrumental in assisting food companies in improving the safety of their products." According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Campylobacter is one of the most common bacterial causes of diarrheal illness in the United States, with an estimated 2.4 million cases every year.
In addition to diarrhea, Campylobacter infections cause cramping, abdominal pain, and fever, and may occasionally cause a serious life-threatening infection for persons with weakened immune systems.
Warnex's Campylobacter test detects and quantifies three species of this pathogen, Campylobacter jejuni, C coli and C lari, which account for 99% of reported Campylobacter illness cases.
"This achievement of being first to market with a quantitative Campylobacter test underscores the strength of our technology and expertise," said Yvan Cote, vice president, research and development.
"This test is the first in our strategy to produce a series of real-time PCR quantification tests." Warnex's quantitative Campylobacter test will be commercially available in April 2006.
Warnex also announced today that three more of its tests have been granted "Laboratory Procedure" status by Health Canada, following independent validations by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
These tests include one for E coli O157:H7 and two semi-quantitative tests for generic E coli and Staphylococcus aureus.
These semi-quantitative tests not only detect the presence of the bacteria, but also indicate whether they are present beyond a user-defined threshold.
The test procedures can be found in Volume 3 of the Health Canada Compendium of Analytical Methods.
