DETECTION OF TYPE E CLOSTRIDIUM BOTULINUM NEUROTOXIN IN SERUM AND FECAL SAMPLES BY USING AN AMPLIFIED ENZYME-LINKED IMMUNOSORBENT ASSAY WITH C-MYC TAG ANTIBODIES

Background and Aim:Clostridium botulinum is an anaerobic, gram-positive, spore-forming rod that produces a potent neurotoxin. There are seven types of botulinum toxin designated by the letters A through G. Types A, B, and E are most commonly associated with illness in humans. The current gold standard for detection of BoNTs is the mouse bioassay. However, the assay requires several days to complete, large numbers of animals and can only be performed at a select number of laboratories. The objective of this study was to investigate the presence of botulinum toxin type E in serum and stool samples using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay with c-myc tag antibodies.Methods:96-well microtitre plates were coated with 100 serum and 156 fecal specimens. c-Myc tag C.botulinum type E monoclonal antibody was used to detect C. botulinum type E toxin.Results:ELISA method is able to detect Clostridium botulinum type E toxin to a value of 2 ng in less than 6 hours. The sensitivity and specificity of ELISA technique was 97.7% and 99.9%, respectively.Conclusion:The ELISA method is very precise and fast in detecting Clostridium botulinum type E. This method can be used for determining specific antigen in unknown samples.

Keywords:

ELISA method , Clostridium botulinum type E toxin , Mouse bioassay