Development of in-farm diagnostic tests for Campylobacter

Background
The research work is being undertaken by a consortium of research and industry based technologists, scientists and poultry producers. The aim is to develop a rapid test system that can be used with great accuracy to evaluate on the farm whether the flock is carrying in its visceral tract the campylobacter’s of C Jejuni or C Coli.
The bacterium does not harm the birds but is a major human pathogen causing outbreaks at the level of between 70.000 and 300.000 cases per year in the United Kingdom.
We believe that via greater knowledge and a targeted response in the slaughter plant with increased carcass washing and the development of other factory interventions, we can reduce the human infection rate by up to 70%, saving the Health service considerable sums and reducing the human cost of many lost days off work.
Progress to date.
Selective studies have been undertaken to prove that the lamp assay process can show when either C Coli or C Jejuni are present. Further tests have then been undertaken to show that the response on the analyser to C Coli is dramatically different to that for S Aureus, L Monocytogenes, and S Epidermis. All of these tests have been successful.
We have then moved to assess at what levels of capture of the Campylobacter cells can we still get a distinctive and positive test result, having collected the organisms on beads encrusted with the antigen for the target bacteria.
Results at annealing temperatures.
Further work has been undertaken to show the effects of the tests on samples that have been selected using coated beads, and then the samples are heated to kill and break down the DNA of the target organism. This test group was also effective with a distinct and clear plot for the target organism and with no effect being seen from other bacteria tested alongside the campylobacter’s.
Progress
We are pleased with the progress and success of the work in the first quarter, and have progressed better than we had expected. Samples of faecal samples have been collected direct from turkey farms and further tests are being undertaken.
Second Quarter targets.
Additional verification work will be undertaken to verify the selectivity and to determine the detection limit of the assay. An internal amplification control will also be constructed and incorporated into the assay.
We hope to complete the instrument design specification, and continue with the electronics development. The concept is starting to look like a farm friendly process that can deliver accurate results even from lightly infected flocks, with very good accuracy, and with tests completed in well under an hour.
JEREMY HALL - Lead Co-ordinator and Industrial lead.
13 July 2012