Method for enhanced sensitivity in bacteriophage-based diagnostic assays

摘要

A method of determining the presence or absence of a target microorganism in a sample to be tested, the method comprising: (a) combining with the sample an amount of bacteriophage capable of attaching to the target microorganism to create a bacteriophage-exposed sample; (b) providing conditions to the bacteriophage-exposed sample sufficient to allow the bacteriophage to attach to the target microorganism while inhibiting phage replication in a potentially cross-reactive, non-target microorganism; and (c) assaying the bacteriophage-exposed sample to detect the presence or absence of a bacteriophage marker to determine the presence or absence of the target microorganism; wherein the amount of the bacteriophage is between 10% to 70% of the threshold number of bacteriophage that the assay can detect, or between 1×106 pfu/mL and 7×106 pfu/mL.