The Uses and Abuses of Rapid Bioluminescence-Based ATP Assays_reposversion.pdf (307.18 kB)
The uses and abuses of rapid bioluminescence-based ATP assays
journal contribution
posted on 2012-11-28, 10:22 authored by Gilbert Shama, Danish MalikDanish MalikBioluminescence-based ATP testing of solid surfaces has become well established in the food processing
industry as part of general hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) measures. The rise in
healthcare associated infections (HAIs) at the turn of the century focussed attention on the environment
as a potential reservoir of the agents responsible for such infections. In response to the need for objective
methods of assessing the efficiency of cleaning in healthcare establishments and for rapid methods
for detecting the presence of the pathogens responsible for HAIs, it was proposed that ATP testing of
environmental surfaces be introduced. We examine the basis behind the assumptions inherent in these
proposals. Intracellular ATP levels are shown to vary between microbial taxa and according to environmental
conditions. Good correlations between microbial numbers and ATP levels have been obtained
under certain specific conditions, but never within healthcare settings. Notwithstanding, ATP testing
may still have a role in providing reassurance that cleaning regimes are being carried out satisfactorily.
However, ATP results should not be interpreted as surrogate indicators for the presence of microbial
pathogens.
History
School
- Aeronautical, Automotive, Chemical and Materials Engineering
Department
- Chemical Engineering
Citation
SHAMA, G. and MALIK, D.J., 2013. International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, 216 (2), pp. 115–125.Publisher
© ElsevierVersion
- AM (Accepted Manuscript)
Publication date
2013Notes
This article is a Mini-Review, published in the journal International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health [© Elsevier] and the definitive version is available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2012.03.009ISSN
1438-4639eISSN
1618-131XPublisher version
Language
- en