detection of staphylococcus enterotoxin b (seb) using an immunochromatographic test strip

Background: staphylococcus aureus is one of the most important microorganisms that causes various human diseases by secreting virulence factors known as staphylococcal super antigens (sags). staphylococcal enterotoxin b (seb) is a bacterial antigen that is responsible for food poisoning in humans. among seb detection methods, a lateral flow device (lfd) is ideal for rapid immunochromatographic tests because it is easy to use, requires minimal time to produce results, and does not require personnel training.objectives: in our laboratory, the production of an immunochromatographic test strip, for the detection of seb using a sandwich assay and a competitive method, was described; the test can detect seb with high sensitivity.materials and methods: the strip assays were compared with pcr, a valid method for detection. for pcr, a specific sequence for seb production was detected using primers designed according to genbank sequences.results: in total, 80 food samples suspected of seb contamination were assessed using the two methods. fifty-four samples were contaminated based on the pcr technique and twenty-six of those were confirmed using the strip assay.conclusions: the sensitivity of the sandwich method was approximately 10 ng/ml and that of the competitive method was approximately 250 ng/ml. in the lfd, a highly specific monoclonal antibody used for both the sandwich and competitive methods resulted in an increased sensitivity and accuracy for the detection of a minimal seb concentration.