Patent Number: 6770440
Docket Number: 21900
Serial Number: 9867435
Date Patented: 08/03/2004

Technology Description: ARS researchers have developed a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) assay that can detect Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii), a food-borne parasite, found in meat or meat products. This new PCR test can be used in slaughter house monitoring for food safety testing. This very specific, rapid test can detect the DNA from just one parasite. Undercooked pork is the most common source of food borne transmission to humans in the United States, although lamb is also a common source, particularly in Europe and Australia. People with suppressed immune systems are more at risk to T. gondii infection. Current detection methods include time-consuming techniques that require tissue culture, and bioassays are not easy to use for wide-scale commercial testing of meat products. This invention could be used for testing carcasses or the meat products themselves for supermarket product screening. This test also has biomedical and human applications to test for T. gondii infections. It could also be applied to test for T. gondii presence in animal tissue to test for vaccine success. Reference: Please refer to USPN 6,770,440 (Docket #0219.00), "Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay for the Detection of Toxoplasma gondii," which issued on August 3, 2004. Inventors: Joan K. Lunney Immunology and Disease Resistance Beltsville, MD 20705 (301) 504-9368 / Fax: (301) 504-5306 @anri.barc.usda.gov Dante S. Zarlenga (Same as first inventor) (301) 504-8754 / Fax: (301) 504-8979 dzarleng@anri.barc.usda.gov James Higgins Animal Waste Pathogen Laboratory Beltsville, MD 20705 (301) 504-6443 / Fax: (301) 504-5306 jhiggins@lpsi.barc.usda.gov Jitender P. Dubey Parasite Biology and Epidemiology Lab Beltsville, MD 20705 (301) 504-8128 / Fax: (301) 504-9222 Jdubey@ggpl.arsusda.gov Luis H. Jauregui University of Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, Argentina 54114524-8407 / Fax: 54114524-8492