Microbiological challenge of four protective devices for the reconstitution of cytotoxic agents.

Aims: To evaluate the susceptibility to microbial contamination that occurs during simulated handling of protective devices for the preparation of cytotoxic drug solutions.

Methods And Results: Four devices, i.e.

Development of a real-time NASBA assay for the detection of Campylobacter jejuni cells.

The objectives of this study were the development of a real-time NASBA assay for the detection of Campylobacter jejuni mRNA and the evaluation of its potential to determine the viability of the detected C. jejuni cells. A set of specific primers and probes was chosen to amplify the mRNA of the tuf-gene and the GTPase-gene.

Real-time reverse transcription PCR for the quantification of the mntH expression of Salmonella enterica as a function of growth phase and phagosome-like conditions.

This article presents an experimental design for measuring the mRNA expression in Salmonella enterica of the mntH gene in phagosome-mimicking conditions. The expression of mntH was quantified by real-time reverse transcription PCR for different S. enterica strains of porcine origin under different biological growth conditions which mimicked the environment inside the phagosome.

Solid phase cytometry as a tool to detect viable but non-culturable cells of Campylobacter jejuni.

Solid phase cytometry (SPC) in conjunction with fluorescent viability staining has been investigated as a tool to detect viable but non-culturable Campylobacter jejuni in drinking water. Inoculated water samples were filtered over a polyester membrane filter and the retained cells were stained using a carboxyfluorescein ester as a substrate for intracellular esterases. The number of green fluorescent bacteria was automatically counted by an Ar laser scanning device (ChemScan) in 3 min.

Improved detection of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis in milk.

At present there is no rapid microbiological method for the detection of viable Mycobacterium paratuberculosis in milk. By combining an extensive milk sample pretreatment with solid phase cytometry as the detection technique we were able to demonstrate viable mycobacterial cells in 50 ml of artificially contaminated pasteurized milk in less than one working day.