bioMérieux Launches the First Ready-to-Use Enrichment Culture Medium for the Simple Analysis of Campylobacter in Food Products

Campylobacter, primarily C. jejuni, is the main bacterial cause of gastro-enteritis and the third leading cause of death from foodborne infections worldwide.

The innovation of CampyFood broth (CFB) consists of convenient, ready-to-use minibags, which save preparation time in comparison to other methods, and reduce waste and handling risks related to glass containers. “bioMérieux remains committed to providing innovative testing solutions for the detection of critical food pathogens such as Campylobacter,” said Alexandre Mérieux, Corporate Vice President, Industrial Microbiology. “We are pleased to provide CFB as yet another tool to help detect the leading cause of foodborne illnesses globally.”

Specifically developed for bioMérieux methods

To fully address laboratory needs, CampyFood broth has been designed to be used in several simplified testing protocols:

• For the detection with CampyFood Agar or VIDAS® CAM, after a single enrichment ste
• For the enumeration with CampyFood Agar.

The official validation of these protocols, according to the ISO 16140 standard, is in progress.

About CampyFood Agar (CFA)

Conventional charcoal or blood media are often difficult to read and make the Campylobacter analysis complex and time-consuming. CampyFood Agar is different in that it combines a colored indicator with selective agents to turn colonies an orange-red, making the detection or enumeration of Campylobacter extremely easy.

About VIDAS® CAM

VIDAS® is a multi-parametric automated immunoanalyzer that entirely manages the analysis from the sample to reporting results. VIDAS CAM is a single-dose test to detect Campylobacter on VIDAS. It is composed of a strip containing all the necessary ready-to-use reagents and a SPR (Solid Phase Receptacle) coated with specific antibodies. After a 44-hour single enrichment phase with the new CFB medium, VIDAS CAM detects Campylobacter spp in 70 minutes.

About Campylobacter

Campylobacter is a major public health issue with a considerable socio-economic impact. Mishandling of raw poultry and consumption of undercooked poultry are the major risk factors for human campylobacteriosis. Campylobacter, primarily C. jejuni, is the main bacterial cause of gastro-enteritis and the third leading cause of death from foodborne infections worldwide. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate 2.4 million persons are infected, with more than 100 fatal cases each year in the U.S. Approximately 1 in 1000 diagnosed infections leads to Guillain-Barré syndrome, a paralysis that lasts several weeks and usually requires intensive care treatment for patient recovery.