Bøger i Public Health Laboratory Servi serien

This practical publication presents, in an accessible format, the main approaches to the laboratory investigation of the microbial quality of foodstuffs. As one of the largest organizations in Britain specializing in the microbiological examination of food samples, the PHLS has day-to-day experience in such work that has been drawn upon and distilled in producing this edition of the handbook. The methods described are mainly based on internationally recognised standard methods, and are therefore sound models upon which to develop procedures suitable for the wide range of foodstuffs submitted for microbiological examination and the variety of purposes for which this work is undertaken. They reflect good laboratory practice, while taking into account the need for rigorous internal and external quality assurance of all procedures.

This work is a practical guide to the use of immunofluorescence techniques for the rapid diagnosis of common human pathogens. With the widespread availability of monoclonal antibodies for a variety of human pathogens, diagnostic work formerly considered appropriate only for specialized laboratories is now within the province of any diagnostic laboratory. Immunofluorescence is particularly suitable for the prompt diagnosis of one-off samples, and in some cases, it is the most sensitive of the available immunoassays for diagnosing certain infections