Electrochemical Method for Viable Pathogen Detection

描述（由申请人提供）：本申请的具体目的是开发一种用于快速检测肉和肉制品中细菌污染（特别是大肠杆菌O 157：H7）的新型自动化系统。疾病控制中心估计，每年有7600万人患有食源性疾病，其中325，000人住院，其中5，000多人死亡。这些疾病每年的直接医疗费用和生产力损失估计为50亿至60亿美元。在这些食源性疾病中，美国每年有多达73，000例病例和61例死亡可归因于大肠杆菌O 157：H7。E.大肠杆菌O 157：H7是一种食源性病原体，可引起出血性和非出血性腹泻，对免疫功能低下的人尤其有害，包括年轻人、老年人和艾滋病毒等疾病患者。除了引起出血性腹泻外，人与人之间的E。大肠杆菌O 157：H7感染是有据可查的。目前对E. coli O 157：H7使用常规琼脂/培养方法、免疫测定和基于PCR的技术。虽然这些鉴定技术是准确的，但需要极其漫长的处理和富集步骤，这会延迟最终结果。为了满足快速、灵敏、廉价的检测方法的需求，Lynntech将开发一种自动化的E。大肠杆菌检测系统将在采样后30分钟内提供结果。在第二阶段，Lynntech将建立一个完整的原型系统，用于在肉类包装厂进行测试。研究与公共卫生的相关性：该应用的具体目的是检测肉类中的食源性病原体。食源性疾病是一个主要的公共卫生问题，导致成千上万的不必要的住院治疗，生产力损失，甚至在严重的情况下死亡。这项研究将能够在食源性病原体分发给消费者之前快速检测它们。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The specific aim of this application is to develop a new, automated system for the rapid detection of bacterial contamination (especially Escherichia coli O157:H7) in meat and meat products. The Centers for Disease Control estimate that 76 million people suffer from foodborne illness annually, with 325,000 being admitted to hospitals, of who more than 5,000 die. The yearly costs of these illnesses is estimated at $5-6 billion in direct medical expenses and lost productivity. Of these foodborne illnesses, as many as 73,000 cases and 61 deaths per year in the United States can be attributed to Escherichia coli O157:H7. E. coli O157:H7 is a foodborne pathogen that causes both bloody and non-bloody diarrhea, and is especially harmful to the immunocompromised, which includes the young, the elderly, and those with diseases such as HIV. In addition to causing bloody diarrhea, person to person transmission of E. coli O157:H7 infection is well documented. Current tests for E. coli O157:H7 use conventional agar/culturing methods, immunological assays, and PCR based technology. Although accurate, these identification techniques require extremely lengthy processing and enrichment steps, which delay the final results. In response to this need for a rapid, sensitive, and inexpensive detection method Lynntech will develop an automated E. coli detection system that will provide results in 30 minutes post sampling. In Phase II, Lynntech will build a complete prototype system that will be used for testing at a meat packing plant. Relevance of the research to public health: The specific aim of this application is to detect foodborne pathogens in meat. Foodborne illness is a major public health concern and accounts for thousands of unnecessary hospitalizations, lost productivity, and even death in severe cases. This research will enable rapid detection of foodborne pathogens before they are distributed to the consumer.