An immunomagnetic separation/loop-mediated isothermal amplification method for rapid direct detection of thermotolerant Campylobacter spp. during poultry production.

AIMS: To develop a rapid test for thermotolerant Campylobacter in poultry faeces. METHODS AND RESULTS: The reported method is based on immunomagnetic separation and loop-mediated isothermal DNA amplification (IMS/LAMP). This LAMP assay is specific (demonstrated using 10 Campylobacter strains and 13 non-Campylobacter bacterial species) and sensitive (95% probability of detecting 22 genome copies). A competitive internal amplification control (IAC) has been incorporated to give unambiguous determination of negative results. Immunoseparation of Campylobacter allows direct LAMP detection from poultry boot swab samples in 90 min without enrichment or DNA purification (74% probability of detecting 10(4) CFU ml(-1) of a boot swab suspension). The analysis of 17 samples from commercial turkey farms showed 100% correlation with parallel results obtained by standard microbiological methods. CONCLUSIONS: A rapid test has been developed for direct detection of thermotolerant Campylobacter spp. in boot swab samples, thus bypassing culture enrichment or DNA extraction. The test has potential to be carried out by farm personnel on site. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The method offers an inexpensive approach to monitor poultry infection in near real time, assisting flock management and controls to prevent introduction of Campylobacter into the food chain.

Occupational radiation doses to the extremities and the eyes in interventional radiology and cardiology procedures.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine occupational dose levels in interventional radiology and cardiology procedures. METHODS: The study covered a sample of 25 procedures and monitored occupational dose for all laboratory personnel. Each individual wore eight thermoluminescent dosemeters next to the eyes, wrists, fingers and legs during each procedure. Radiation protection shields used in each procedure were recorded. RESULTS: The highest doses per procedure were recorded for interventionists at the left wrist (average 485 µSv, maximum 5239 µSv) and left finger (average 324 µSv, maximum 2877 µSv), whereas lower doses were recorded for the legs (average 124 µSv, maximum 1959 µSv) and the eyes (average 64 µSv, maximum 1129 µSv). Doses to the assisting nurses during the intervention were considerably lower; the highest doses were recorded at the wrists (average 26 µSv, maximum 41 µSv) and legs (average 18 µSv, maximum 22 µSv), whereas doses to the eyes were minimal (average 4 µSv, maximum 16 µSv). Occupational doses normalised to kerma area product (KAP) ranged from 11.9 to 117.3 µSv/1000 cGy cm² and KAP was poorly correlated to the interventionists' extremity doses. CONCLUSION: Calculation of the dose burden for interventionists considering the actual number of procedures performed annually revealed that dose limits for the extremities and the lenses of the eyes were not exceeded. However, there are cases in which high doses have been recorded and this can lead to exceeding the dose limits when bad practices are followed and the radiation protection tools are not properly used.