Coris BioConcept Legionella V-TesT for L. pneumophila antigen

Coris BioConcept has introduced a Legionella V-TesT that detects soluble antigen from L. pneumophila serogroup 1 in urine and combines reasonable sensitivity, high specificity and rapid results. The ready-to-use membrane test is based on colloidal gold particles.

Legionella V-TesT sensitivity and specificity come from monoclonal and polyclonal anti-Legionella antibodies. Some antibodies are conjugated to colloidal gold particles and dried on a conjugate absorbant pad. Each strip is sensitised with anti-Legionella antibodies at the upper line and with a control antibody at the bottom (migration control) line. When the urine sample migrates through the collector pad, conjugate is rehydrated and migrates along with the sample. If L. pneumophila urinary antigens are present in the sample, a complex between the anti-L. pneumophila conjugates and the L. pneumophila antigens is formed that will be caught by the specific anti- L. pneumophila reagent coated on the stick.

Results appear in 15 min in the form of a red line that develops on the strip (upper line). The solution continues to migrate to encounter a control reagent (at the bottom line) that binds the control conjugate, thereby producing a second red (migration control) line.

The test has been evaluated using 300 samples from a respiratory diseases reference lab; a sensitivity of 97.6% and a specificity of 97.7% were demonstrated.