Development of reversed passive latex agglutination to determine cholera toxin

ABSTRACT

Background: Only strains of V cholerae 01 that produce cholera toxin have been associated with epidemics and pandemics in the past; therefore, production of cholera toxin has become an important marker for identifying isolates with the potential to cause epidemics. The Reversed Passive Latex Agglutination test (RPLA) is a semi-quantitative determination of CT or LT in culture fluid. \r\n', u'Objective: To determine the cholera toxin by RPLA in order to evaluate the severity of the epidemic and find an interventional solution.\r\n', u'Subjects and methods: The technique of RPLA enables soluble antigen such as bacterial toxins to be detected in an agglutination assay. A total of 44 strains of V. cholerae 01 were tested for the production of the cholera toxin by RPLA.\r\n', u' Results and conclusion: The concentration of cholera toxin was determined from strains isolated in 2007 much higher than that from the strains isolated in 2004. These results can explain the severe cholera endemic in 2007 in comparison with the endemic in 2004. The RPLA test is a simple and reliable method for determining cholera toxin and suitable for epidemiologic studies on cholera. \r\n', u'