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This research project aims to develop a detection method for Enteroaggregative E. coli that can be used to screen clinical, food and environmental samples without the need to refer them to a specialist laboratory.
<p>The project aims to develop a multiplex PCR method able to detect EAEC strains from patient faecal material and food samples.
The Enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) are a diverse group of the enterovirulent E. coli and cause Infectious Intestinal Disease (IID) in humans.
<p>A Department of Health funded study of IID in England (the IID Study) demonstrated that EAggEC are a significant cause of IID in humans. EAEC were isolated from 5.1% of cases presenting to GPs and 2.9% of cases in the community.
<p>Our knowledge of the pathways by which EAEC are transmitted to humans is limited by the lack of widely available methods for detecting these bacteria.
<p>Detection of EAEC in clinical or food samples is currently limited to specialist laboratories that conduct cell adhesion assays or use gene probes to detect the aggregative adhesion phenotype.
<p>Work was needed to develop a detection method for EAEC that can be used to screen clinical, food and environmental samples without the need to refer them to a specialist laboratory for testing.
<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>.