ASSAY PRETREATMENT METHOD, COMPOSITON THEREFOR AND AGGLUTINATION ASSAY KIT CONTAINING IT

摘要

The method disclosed herein allows for the pretreatment of organisms, suspected of being a material of interest, prior to performing an assay for a determination thereof. The method comprises contacting the organism in an aqueous medium with a composition comprising (1) an enzyme capable of hydrolyzing bonds between N-acetylglucosamine and N-acetylmuramic acid and (2) a chelating agent, in amounts and under conditions sufficient to produce a homogeneous suspension of the organism of interest in the aqueous medium but insufficient to produce lysed cells or spheroplasts. The method and composition are particularly applicable to the pretreatment of cells of gram negative bacteria such as, for example, N. gonorrhoeae, and of chlamydia.