THE USE OF LATEX PARTICLE AGGLUTINATION TO SPECIFICALLY DETECT SALMONELLA-ENTERITIDIS

This paper reviews the development and evaluation of a latex particle agglutination test to specifically identify cultured Salmonella enteri tidis organisms. The test is based on the use of two monoclonal antibo dy-coated latex reagents, one of which detects the recently discovered SEF14 fimbriae expressed predominantly by S. enteritidis and S. dubli n organisms, while the second reagent detects the H'p' antigen of S. d ublin flagella. In a series of field trials 141 out of 142 strains of S. enteritidis from eighteen phage types were correctly identified by the latex test. A further 175 salmonella isolates representing 35 sero types were tested and only two false-positives (S. dublin) in the late x test were recorded. This is the first rapid serotype specific test f or S. enteritidis to be developed, and highlights the potential advant age of fimbrial antigens as novel diagnostic antigens of the future.