RAPID SCREENING FOR SALMONELLA IN FISH-MEAL BY ENRICHMENT-IMMUNOASSAY

We previously described an enrichment-immunoassay utilizing a T6 monoc lonal antibody capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Here we eval uated it for the rapid screening for Salmonella in fishmeal obtained f rom the national Animal and Plant Quarantine service in the People's R epublic of China. In this method, the number of Salmonella present is first expanded by appropriate enrichment cultures, and the pathogens a re then directly detected by the T6 immunoassay. In a total of 94 enri chment cultures of fishmeal, we obtained an overall concordance of 98% between the results obtained in parallel by; this method and by conve ntional test method. The positive prediction by this method was 92% an d the negative prediction was 100%. The turn around time for the new t est war 27 h which is a significant improvement from the turn around t ime exceeding 96 h required for the conventional test method. This tes t proved to be compatible with the routine work flow in the practical setting of a quarantine laboratory.