Diagnostic tests and kits for Clostridium difficile
US6503722B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 29, 1999 |
| Grant date | Jan 7, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 29, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S436/811
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
This invention provides methods, compositions, and kits for detecting the presence of toxigenic strains of C. difficile in a biological sample. One embodiment provides methods for C. difficile detection that involve assaying for both C. difficile glutamate dehydrogenase and C. difficile toxin A or toxin B. In another embodiment, the invention provides a highly sensitive assay for C. difficile toxin A that is useful for determining whether a C. difficile strain is toxigenic. This embodiment involves binding of toxin A to a moiety that reversibly binds to a capture moiety present on a magnetic bead. A magnetic field is applied to the sample to concentrate the toxin A, after which the magnetic beads are dissociated and removed from the solution to obtain a highly concentrated preparation of toxin A, thus making possible a very sensitive assay.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.