Matrix MicroScience will collaborate through a cooperative research and development agreement with the Bacterial Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Resistance Research Unit (BEARRU) at Athens, Georgia and the Meat Safety and Quality Research Unit (MSQRU) at Clay Center, Nebraska to develop and evaluate an improved system for detection and identification of Shiga toxin-containing E. coli (STEC) serotypes O26, O45, O103, O121, O145, and O111 and Salmonella serotype Enteritidis (SE); based on immunomagnetic separation using the Pathatrix System. BEARRU and MSQRU are part of the USDA' sAgricultural Research Service (ARS).
Dr Adrian Parton MBE, Founder and C.E.O. of Matrix MicroScience commented that “Matrix is excited about entering into a CRADA with USDA-ARS and to work with their scientists Dr. Paula Cray (BEARRU) and Dr. James Bono (MSQRU) on developing reagents for the capture and purification of the “big 6” non-O157 STEC. We already have preliminary data on antibodies to O26 and O111 that was recently presented at the IAFP annual meeting in Milwaukee and hope that after further characterization, these will become available to the industry within months.”
The most frequently identified non-O157 STEC serogroups in humans are O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145. Unlike E. coli O157:H7, these serogroups cannot be easily distinguished using available culture methods.
In addition to non-O157 STEC E. coli antibodies, an antibody to Salmonella serotype Enteritidis (SE) will also be generated as part of the same CRADA. The incidence of SE appears to be increasing despite decreasing incidence of Salmonella species in general. Because SE is easily outcompeted by other Salmonella serovars, immunomagnetic separation with Pathatrix is expected to enhance the likelihood of recovery from samples collected as part of the USDA-APHIS National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) studies as well as CRIS approved on farm studies.