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. 1984 Mar;19(3):371–375. doi: 10.1128/jcm.19.3.371-375.1984

Rapid visual detection of Escherichia coli and Vibrio cholerae Heat-labile enterotoxins by nitrocellulose enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

L Beutin, L Bode, T Richter, G Peltre, R Stephan
PMCID: PMC271067  PMID: 6371043

Abstract

A modification of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for a sensitive and rapid visual detection of heat-labile enterotoxins from Escherichia coli and Vibrio cholerae is described. Small amounts of bacterial supernatant fluids are bound to nitrocellulose filters which are used as sorbents in the nitrocellulose enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The test is based on the immunological similarity between V. cholerae and E. coli heat-labile enterotoxins. Six isolates of V. cholerae and 48 isolates of E. coli were examined for heat-labile enterotoxins by the nitrocellulose enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and the Vero cell bioassay. With some strains, the nitrocellulose enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was found to be more sensitive for detection of E. coli heat-labile enterotoxin than the Vero cell test. A similar result was obtained by endpoint titration of heat-labile enterotoxin-positive E. coli H10407 culture fluid in both assays. The sensitivity of the nitrocellulose enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of purified cholera toxin was at a total level of 1 ng, which is a good result when compared with other serological assays.

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Selected References

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