Botulism is a foodborne intoxication caused by ingestion of Clostridium botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT). Preliminary studies focussed on the production of polyclonal antisera against BoNT/E by immunizing a rabbit with botulinal toxoid type E. The antiserum was subsequently used to detect BoNT/E using the slot blot immunoassay where samples were applied to a slot blot filtration manifold and drawn by vacuum through a membrane. The membrane was then immunologically processed before chemiluminescent detection. However, the antisera lacked specificity and cross-reacted with closely related clostridia strains. / The specificity of the antisera was increased by adsorbing cross-reactive antibodies from whole antisera with affinity columns made with total proteins from culture supernatants of closely related clostridia. Alternatively, specific antibodies were isolated with an affinity column prepared with C. botulinum type E toxoid. / Different methods of concentrating BoNT/E in each sample prior to testing them were evaluated to increase the sensitivity of the assay. / The slot blot immunoassay was then evaluated for detection of BoNT/E in mixed cultures and in food samples. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.32836 |
| Date | January 2001 |
| Creators | Cadieux, Brigitte. |
| Contributors | Smith, J. P. (advisor) |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Master of Science (Department of Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry.) |
| Rights | All items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated. |
| Relation | alephsysno: 001872227, proquestno: MQ80113, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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