Abstract: The present invention includes compositions, kits, and methods useful for the detection of bacteria. These agents and methods are primarily directed to a method of detecting the presence of bacteria in a sample, involving incubating the sample with an agent that binds to bacteria, such as, e.g., an agent specific for peptidoglycan or a component thereof, and then detecting bound bacteria. The invention includes lateral-flow immunoassay methods and devices for assessing the total bacterial load in a liquid sample.

Abstract: A rapid method for the quantitation of various live cell types is described. The method may include a variety of steps including: 1) suspending the cells in a detergent-like compound, 2) isolating the washed cells by centrifugation or filtration, 3) resuspending the cells in a solution that contains a preservative, a fluorescent dye and a compound such as dequalinium which can be taken up by the cells, 4) measuring the fluorescence increase over time of the cell-dye mixture with a simple fluorometer, and 5) measuring the native fluorescence of the cells. This new cell fluorescence method correlates with other methods of enumerating cells such as the standard plate count, the methylene blue method and the slide viability technique. The method is particularly useful in several applications such as: a) quantitating bacteria in milk, yogurt, cheese, meat and other foods, b) quantitating yeast cells in brewing, fermentation and bread making, c) quantitating mammalian cells in research, food and clinical settings.

Abstract: The present invention includes compositions, kits and methods useful for the detection of mastitis in an animal. These agents and methods are primarily directed to a method of detecting the presence of mastitis, including sub-clinical mastitis, in cows, involving incubating a sample of milk from the cow with an agent that binds to lactoferrin such as, e.g., a monoclonal antibody specific for lactoferrin, and then detecting bound lactoferrin. The invention includes lateral-flow immunoassay methods and devices for assessing the presence of lactoferrin in milk samples.