Environmental Health Conference in Kuopio, Finland, 27.-28.5.2010.

PMEU Spectrion interested the participants of Environmental Health Conference in Kuopio, Finland. Visitors of exhibition were able to see the selective cultivation of E.coli which can be confirmed by its blue fluorescence when illuminated with "Wood's lamp", emitting UV to the target syringe.

Laboratory Manager Anneli Heitto (left) and Laboratory Engineer Maarit Miskala, both working for FINNOFLAG Ltd, were representing PMEU method in the exhibition. Maarit Miskala also had an oral presentation about the control of swimming waters where PMEU Spectrion significantly helps to collect analytical data faster and with much higher sampling frequence than the traditional laboratory ananlyses.

Enhanced enrichment and detection of thermotolerant Campylobacter species from water using the Portable Microbe Enrichment Unit and real-time PCR

Tarja Pitkänen, Juliane Bräcker, Ilkka T. Miettinen, Anneli Heitto, Jouni Pesola, and Elias Hakalehto

Can. J. Microbiol. 55(7): 849–858 (2009):

Abstract: An enhanced enrichment using the Portable Microbe Enrichment Unit (PMEU) with the microaerobic bubbling of broths was applied for the detection of thermotolerant Campylobacter species from water. This PMEU enrichment was compared with the conventional static enrichment of the international standard ISO 17995:2005. In addition, Campylobacter detection after enrichment using a real-time PCR detection was compared with colony counts. The tests with stressed Campylobacter jejuni cells in drinking water indicated that the PMEU enrichment yielded a significantly higher number of Campylobacter cells in the Bolton broth compared with the conventional static incubation. Application of the real-time PCR technique shortened the Campylobacter detection time. This combination of method modifications can be used for Campylobacter detection from water and adds methodological repertoire for the rapid survey and management of waterborne outbreaks.

Key words: Campylobacter, enrichment, Portable Microbe Enrichment Unit, real-time PCR, water.