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<p>The aim of this project is to test the archived cDNA and DNA samples, generated in the linked project (FSA B14004), with PCR-based procedures for known and putative agents of infectious intestinal disease in an attempt to further identify the causes and burden of illness from IID.
<p>This research project, in combination with project B14004, aims to use archived faecal samples to facilitate further work on identifying the causes and burden of infectious intestinal disease.
<p>PCR based methodologies will be used to investigate the presence of aetiological agents of gastroenteritis. These PCR based tests will be applied to archived DNA or cDNA obtained from the faecal samples archived from the IID study where neither intestinal pathogen or toxin were detected and to samples from control subjects.
<p>Since Norovirus (formerly NLV) are likely to be the most commonly undiagnosed pathogen, all samples will be tested for this pathogen.
<p>Following the Norovirus detection phase, data on the age ranges and severity of illness of the remaining samples will be used to prioritise tests for the detection of the following agents: astroviruses, adenoviruses 40/41, rotavirus, campylobacter species, salmonella species, enteroaggregative E. coli, VTEC, Clostridium perfringens, Clostridium difficile, Cryptosporidium sp, and giardia species.
One of the outputs of the Study of Infectious Intestinal Disease in England (the IID Study) was an archive of faecal specimens from both the cases and controls that were involved in the study.
<p>When there was sufficient residual faecal specimen remaining after the full range of investigations had been conducted for the study, a 20% suspension of the faeces was made in a cryoprotective broth and stored at -70oC.
<p>In the IID study about 45% of faecal samples from cases with IID in the GP component and 63% of cases in the population cohort, failed to yield a target organism or toxin.
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The final report, "<a href="http://www.foodbase.org.uk/results.php?f_report_id=411" target="_new">Apply Molecular Techniques to the Nucleic Acid Archive Generated from Stool Samples Archived from the Infectious Intestinal Disease Study</A>" is available at Foodbase, an open access repository of the <acronym title="Food Standards Agency"> FSA</acronym>.
<p>Find more about this project and other FSA food safety-related projects at the <a href="http://www.food.gov.uk/science/research/" target="_blank">Food Standards Agency Research webpage</a>.