PRESS RELEASE

Northland Laboratories a leading contract testing laboratory is the leader and forerunner in employing a novel cutting-edge technology utilizing AOAC approved Pathatrix from Matrix MicroScience for pathogen testing

1. PATHATRIX- Launched in 2002, the PATHATRIX system requires less than two minutes hands-on time per test and utilises a proven technology, which can be adopted in any microbiology laboratory, with the minimum of retraining. Viable cultures are produced during the test allowing full and detailed analysis of any positive results.

PATHATRIX is unique in that it is the only microbial detection system that can analyse the entire 225ml + 25g sample simultaneously by re-circulating the sample through a "capture phase" where the antibody coated magnetic beads are immobilised.

A standard 25g food sample is homogenised with 225ml of growth media in a stomacher. PATHATRIX capture reagent, which consists of antibody coated magnetic particles specific to the target pathogen, are then added directly to the sample. The sample is loaded onto the PATHATRIX workstation using a Matrix proprietary consumable pack, connecting the sample to the circulatory system in preparation for the Capture-Culture step.

Once loaded, the PATHATRIX workstation is typically pre-programmed to run for 30 minutes at the desired incubation temperature. Upon completion of the run, the target microorganisms are bound onto the phase by the capture reagent. Residual debris and non-specific binding are removed during a single wash step.

The capture phase is disconnected from the system and the capture reagent/pathogen complexes are eluted by washing the phase into a vessel. The captured pathogen complexes are then concentrated into a small volume. The sample can be plated directly onto selective media and incubated overnight for visualization the following morning or be directly analyzed by PCR for a very rapid result.

There are a variety of PATHATRIX tests that enable results to be obtained within as little as 5hrs to 24hrs from point of sample to result.

2. Pathatrix Pooling

PATHATRIX pooling involves taking 50ml sub-samples from 5 individual samples, pooling them to create a 250ml wet composite sample which can then be analyzed by a single PATHATRIX run (see figure below). If the sample is "positive" the original individual samples can be re-tested separately by PATHATRIX to determine which sample(s) is/are positive. However if the wet composite sample is shown to be negative no further analysis of the 5 original samples is required. Thus the PATHATRIX pooling approach can be used as a rapid and cost effective screen for all samples.

For further information on this exciting new development contact us on info@matrixmsci.com