A new range of immunoblot profiles allows determination of IgG antibodies against foods and food additives in patient serum samples. Testing for IgG antibodies can help to establish if a food intolerance is behind chronic symptoms such as diarrhea, constipation, bloating, nausea, migraine, asthma, eczema, arthritis or fatigue. If high concentrations of IgG antibodies against a particularly food are identified, elimination of the offending substance from the diet may help to relieve symptoms. The EUROLINE profiles include 108 or 216 foods and food additives, grouped into the categories gluten- containing cereals, gluten-free cereals and alternative foods, meats, dairy and egg, fruits, herbs and spices, nuts and seeds, vegetables, legumes, salads, mushrooms, fish and seafood and other foodstuffs such as yeasts, honey, coffee and black tea. Only small volumes of patient serum are required for the analysis, just 40 μl for 108 results. Results are evaluated semiquantitatively using four calibrators corresponding to the WHO reference serum 1st IRP 67/86. IgG-mediated food intolerance results from increased permeability of the intestinal wall, the so-called leaky gut syndrome. Food components pass into the bloodstream, inducing the production of IgG antibodies and the formation of immune complexes. The complexes are deposited in tissues, leading to inflammation and aggravation of existing conditions. Symptoms of food intolerance occur hours to days after ingestion of the food and can manifest in the entire body, not just the gastrointestinal tract. The relevant IgG subclasses in chronic inflammatory processes are IgG1, IgG2 and IgG3, whereas IgG4 plays a role in classic IgE-mediated allergies.
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AP22 IF BLOT ELITE is a fully automated system for ELISA, IFA and BLOT methods. The instrument is able to run 2 ELISA microplates with 8 tests on line, 16 IFA slides or  24 blot strips,  starting from the sample dilution and dispensing, reagent dispensing, incubation , washing through to dot imaging processing with assessment for each strip; the software provides the data record and patient report.

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Based on an intelligent design and featuring SmartKit reagent loading technology, the Agility automated ELISA system emphasizes simplicity with an extremely intuitive, easy-to-use interface that enables effortless navigation. The system supports several major error-proofing advances, including a comprehensive monitoring system to measure consumable levels and extensive bar coding to eliminate manual data entry. The use of innovative direct-load reagent SmartKits streamlines front-end preparation and minimizes hands-on reagent loading, significantly reducing overall assay times and providing full walk-away freedom. Up to 16 SmartKits and 12 plates can be stored on-board for simultaneous runs. The system utilizes three precision robotic arms – one for sample pipetting, one for reagent pipetting and another for transporting plates and consumables – to obtain maximum process efficiency and unparalleled precision while eliminating nearly all manual steps and reducing the potential for human error. The Agility ELISA system combines ingenious design, total automation and an innovative approach to reagent loading that boosts productivity and minimizes hands-on time.

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Among the most clinically significant multidrug-resistant bacteria are carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae. Because these bacteria usually remain susceptible to polymyxins, interest in this old class of antibiotics has been recently renewed. However, the increasing use of colistin explains why Enterobacterial strains resistant to colistin are increasingly reported worldwide. Currently available polymyxins susceptibility methods are fastidious and time-consuming (24 hours). ELITechGroup Microbiology releases its new Rapid Polymyxin NP test proposed as a rapid, reliable and cost-effective test to detect polymyxins (polymyxin E or Colistin, polymyxin B) resistant Enterobacteriaceae. This test is based on the detection of the glucose metabolization related to bacterial growth in presence of a defined concentration of colistin. Formation of acid metabolites consecutive to the glucose metabolization is evidenced by a colour change (orange to yellow) of a pH indicator. The Rapid Polymyxin NP test is easy-to-perform, very sensitive and specific. It can detect in only a couple of hours polymyxin-resistant and –susceptible isolates from any enterobacterial species, regardless of the molecular mechanism of polymyxins resistance. This test offers the possibility of detecting polymyxins resistance from bacterial cultures before any antimicrobial drug susceptibility testing results are obtained. Results are obtained at least 16 hours sooner with this test than with the reference broth microdilution method. It is as reliable as the reference dilution technique but much less cumbersome and is not based on diffusion of large polymyxin molecules in agar, which therefore prevents false susceptibility results. The rapid polymyxin NP test can be used to screen resistance to polymyxins in countries facing endemic spread of carbapenemase producers and for which polymyxins are last-resort drugs. But it also enables anywhere else the rapid identification of carriers of polymyxin resistant isolates, thus leading to rapid implementation of adequate hygiene measures to control their spread.

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