CAMARILLO, Calif. — Hygiena recently announced the launch of its BAX® System Real-Time PCR Assay for Highly Pathogenic Salmonella, which was developed in collaboration with the USDA Agricultural Research Service’s U.S. Meat Animal Research Center.
Designed for research and ecological surveillance applications in poultry, pork, and beef, the assay detects Salmonella spp., while targeting up to three proprietary genetic markers associated with pathogenicity, Hygiena explained in the announcement.
Research in the food safety industry is increasingly focused not only on whether Salmonella is present but also on the characteristics of Salmonella populations that may be related to public health risks.
By adding virulence-associated genetic marker detection to the PCR workflow, the new assay provides researchers with additional information for ecological surveillance and the study of risk-based approaches to Salmonella control, Hygiena noted.
“For decades, pathogen testing has largely answered a binary question: is Salmonella present or not,” Steve Nelson, Hygiena CEO, said. “This assay adds another level of understanding by providing researchers with additional information about the Salmonella serovar detected. By integrating virulence-associated genetic characterization into the BAX System workflow, we are providing researchers with a new tool to investigate differences among Salmonella populations and their potential human health significance.”
The assay was designed as a reflex test for after a positive BAX System Real-Time Salmonella result, because it uses the same lysate from the first positive sample to target the bacteria.
Characterization can then be extended to individual Salmonella colonies, increasing the accuracy of virulence profiling and enabling biomarker information from sample and colony levels to be combined for a more comprehensive characterization of the Salmonella population, Hygiena stated.
By using the same lysate from the original positive result, researchers can add virulence-associated genetic characterization without starting an entirely new sample-preparation process, the company added.
For more information about Hygiena and its new testing system, visit www.hygiena.com.
