Biomaterial Database

Ultrasound-enhanced latex agglutination for the detection of bacterial antigens in urine. 1995

M P Gualano, and M A Grundy, and W T Coakley, and S H Parry, and D J Stickler

School of Pure and Applied Biology, University of Wales College, Cardiff, UK.

An ultrasound-enhanced latex agglutination technique has been applied to the detection of bacteria in urine. The approach combines the use of ultrasound, the dilution of latex to allow agglutination with low levels of antigen, and microscopy. Using commercially available latex coated with antibody to Esch. coli O157 or K1, ultrasound enhanced the detection of Esch. coli strains carrying these antigens by x512 and x2048 respectively, compared with the standard test card procedure. The latex particles in the commercial kits were 0.4-1.0 micron in diameter. As larger particles are more effectively manipulated in a sound field, particles of 2.8 microns diameter were coated with antiserum against a urinary tract isolate of Esch. coli (SP3112). The application of ultrasound with these particles facilitated the detection of 6 x 10(3) cells/mL of Esch. coli SP3112 within 2 min, a > 10,000-fold increase in sensitivity compared with the normal agglutination procedure. The possible exploitation of this technique in the clinical laboratory for the rapid, sensitive detection of bacterial antigens in urine is discussed.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007841	Latex Fixation Tests	Passive agglutination tests in which antigen is adsorbed onto latex particles which then clump in the presence of antibody specific for the adsorbed antigen. (From Stedman, 26th ed)	Latex Agglutination Tests,Agglutination Test, Latex,Agglutination Tests, Latex,Fixation Test, Latex,Fixation Tests, Latex,Latex Agglutination Test,Latex Fixation Test,Test, Latex Agglutination,Test, Latex Fixation,Tests, Latex Agglutination,Tests, Latex Fixation
D004926	Escherichia coli	A species of gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria (GRAM-NEGATIVE FACULTATIVELY ANAEROBIC RODS) commonly found in the lower part of the intestine of warm-blooded animals. It is usually nonpathogenic, but some strains are known to produce DIARRHEA and pyogenic infections. Pathogenic strains (virotypes) are classified by their specific pathogenic mechanisms such as toxins (ENTEROTOXIGENIC ESCHERICHIA COLI), etc.	Alkalescens-Dispar Group,Bacillus coli,Bacterium coli,Bacterium coli commune,Diffusely Adherent Escherichia coli,E coli,EAggEC,Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli,Enterococcus coli,Diffusely Adherent E. coli,Enteroaggregative E. coli,Enteroinvasive E. coli,Enteroinvasive Escherichia coli
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000942	Antigens, Bacterial	Substances elaborated by bacteria that have antigenic activity.	Bacterial Antigen,Bacterial Antigens,Antigen, Bacterial
D012680	Sensitivity and Specificity	Binary classification measures to assess test results. Sensitivity or recall rate is the proportion of true positives. Specificity is the probability of correctly determining the absence of a condition. (From Last, Dictionary of Epidemiology, 2d ed)	Specificity,Sensitivity,Specificity and Sensitivity
D014465	Ultrasonics	A subfield of acoustics dealing in the radio frequency range higher than acoustic SOUND waves (approximately above 20 kilohertz). Ultrasonic radiation is used therapeutically (DIATHERMY and ULTRASONIC THERAPY) to generate HEAT and to selectively destroy tissues. It is also used in diagnostics, for example, ULTRASONOGRAPHY; ECHOENCEPHALOGRAPHY; and ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, to visually display echoes received from irradiated tissues.	Ultrasonic