Patent ID: 6210911
Filing Date: 2001-04-03
Classification: C12Q,G01N

Abstract:
A method of determining whether a test microorganism is E. coli O157:H7, said method comprising:determining whether said test microorganism is E. coli;growing said test microorganism in a sorbitol-containing medium;determining whether said test microorganism ferments sorbitol;providing a first culture that contains said test microorganism and AR1 phage;measuring a growth rate-related value of said first culture; andcomparing said value of said first culture with a corresponding growth-rate related value of a second culture, said second culture being identical to said first culture except that said second culture is free of AR1 phage, or contains any E. coli strain and is free of AR1 phage;wherein said test microorganism is E. coli O157:H7 if(i) said test microorganism is E. coli;(ii) said test microorganism is incapable of fermenting sorbitol; and(iii) there is a two-fold or greater difference between the growth-rate related value of said first culture and the corresponding growth-rate related value of said second culture.