Overview
Redefining accessibility to molecular diagnostics
TAAG Diagnostics is changing the vision and applicability of molecular testing. Until now, molecular testing has mostly been restricted to specialized laboratories operated by expensive platforms and highly trained personnel, leading to expensive diagnostic solutions. Our solution brings fast, accurate, simplified and cost effective molecular answers to laboratory professionals without the need of expensive equipment and highly specialized knowledge and personnel.
Areas and Divisions
Industrial Microbiological Control: Food Division
Clinical Diagnostics: Woman Health Division • Hospital Acquired Infections Division
Laboratory Services
TAAG Diagnostics Workflow
Food Division
Overview
The accurate and on-time identification of pathogens and microorganisms is a key factor in the food industry. Based on proprietary technologies, we are creating a broad range of innovative molecular diagnostics kits intended to bring accuracy, fastness, simplicity and cost-effectiveness to the identification and detection of foodborne pathogen.
Our kits offer a new way of thinking about foodborne pathogen detection. Simpler protocols and automated results allows accurate detection and identification of multiple food-borne pathogens in only one reaction.
The QuickTAAG® Food kits feature the following:
| FAST | You can screen out negative samples for the main pathogens within 24-48 hours. |
| SIMPLE | Simultaneous detection of the most important food-borne pathogens in one reaction L. monocytogenes, Salmonella, S. aureus and E. coli O157:H7. Easy to use. Automatic interpretation of results. Only enrichment step. |
| ACCURATE | Sensitivity: 1-5 CFU/25 gr. sample. |
| RELIABLE | Comparative studies have demonstrated equivalent performance to traditional methods. |
| FLEXIBLE | Designed to be used with a wide range of food and environmental samples. |
| ECONOMICAL | Detection of multiple pathogens in one reaction allows saving both, time and money. |
Workflow
Maximize productivity while reducing costs
The unique key advantages of using TAAG Diagnostics products for foodborne pathogen detection is that using the same personnel and laboratory equipment you can do multiple analyses in one reaction, thus maximizing productivity. Additionally with the cost of one reaction you perform several tests, reducing importantly the pathogen testing costs.
Speed and simplicity
The QuickTAAG® Food kits deliver fast results using the simpliest protocol for the simultaneous detection of the four most important food-borne pathogens.
Comparative chart of technologies for bacterial detection
| QuickTAAG® Food | Culture | Immunoassay | Real Time PCR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results | 1 - 2 days | 5 - 7 days | 2 days | 1 - 2 days |
| Simultaneous detection | Yes | No | No | No |
| Protocol | Simple | Complex | Simple | Simple |
| Cost | Low | Low | High | High |
Food Products
QuickTAAG® kits
Our QuickTAAG® Food Kits are based on universal assay conditions. You can run any combination of these assays together in the same sample run. The kits have an internal amplification control and a unique "contamination-proof" system that can be activated in case of contamination of the reagents or used routinely to avoid potential contaminations.
The growing portfolio of kits includes:
| Products | Detected target | Enrichment time (hrs) | Analysis time (hrs) | Total time (hrs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QuickTAAG® L. monocytogenes | Listeria monocytogenes | 48 | 4 | 52 |
| QuickTAAG® Salmonella | Salmonella | 24 | 4 | 28 |
| QuickTAAG® E. coli O157:H7 | E. coli O157:H7 | 24 | 4 | 28 |
| QuickTAAG® Staphylococcus aureus | Staphylococcus aureus | 24 | 4 | 28 |
| QuickTAAG® Food Triplex | Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli O157:H7 | 24 | 4 | 28 |
| QuickTAAG® Food Total | Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes | 48 | 4 | 52 |
| QuickTAAG® SaurEcol* | S. aureus and E. coli | 20 | 4 | 24 |
| QuickTAAG® Vibrio* | V. cholerae, V. parahaemolyticus, V. vulnificus and toxins | 20 | 4 | 24 |
* In development.
Woman Health Division
Overview
According to 1999 WHO estimates, 340 million new cases of curable sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) occur annually throughout the world in adults aged 15-49 years. In developing countries, STDs and their complications rank in the top five disease categories for which adults seek health care. Infection with STDs can lead to acute symptoms, chronic infection and serious delayed consequences such as infertility, ectopic pregnancy, cervical cancer and the untimely death of infants and adults.
To better guide proper patient management, sensitive, specific and fast detection of STD related pathogens is fundamental. The TAAG Diagnostics kits are designed to bring accurate results in only 4 hours.
Fast and Accurate Detection of Multiple STD Related Pathogens
Our kits have an internal amplification control and a unique "contamination-proof" system that can be activated in case of contamination of the reagents or used routinely to avoid potential contaminations.
The growing portfolio of kits includes:
| Kit | Sample | Targets |
|---|---|---|
| QuickTAAG® STD Plus | Vaginal, perianal and cervical swabs | Group B Streptococcus, C. trachomatis, N. gonorrheae, M. hominis and Ureaplasma spp. |
| QuickTAAG® STD | Vaginal and cervical swabs | C. trachomatis, N. gonorrheae, M. hominis and Ureaplasma spp. |
| QuickTAAG® GBS | Vaginal and perianal swabs | Group B Streptococcus |
| QuickTAAG® HPV | Cervical swab | Genotyping of multiple HPV |
QuickTAAG® STD Plus
A Safe pregnancy Is Equivalent to a Safe Baby Born
Early detection of organisms that cause sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) is fundamental, especially in pregnant women where it can result in stillbirth and neonatal death. The QuickTAAG® STD Plus Kit delivers sensitive, specific and fast detection of the most dangerous pathogens during pregnancy, thus empowering clinicians to make appropriate patient management.
• Description: QuickTAAG® STD Plus offers a sensitive and specific way to detect and identify the most frequent STD related pathogens. This kit detects simultaneously, in one reaction, the following bacteria: Group B Streptococcus, Ureaplasma urealyticum, Mycoplasma hominis, Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
• Assay Time: 3 hrs.
• Sample Material: DNA isolated directly from vaginal, perianal and cervical swabs using the DNExtract Swab Kit.
QuickTAAG® STD Plus Kit Performance
Detection limit: Detection starting from 10 copy of pure bacterial DNA. Detection of 50 CFU per vaginal and cervical swabs.
Specificity: Isolates of 11 microorganisms usually found in the same samples were tested. All negative.
QuickTAAG® STD
Fast and Accurate Detection of Multiple STD Related Pathogens
It is important to test all sexually active individuals for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Recent CDC recommendations call for expanded STDs testing. It is recommended that all sexually active adolescent women be screened for STDs at least once a year. The QuickTAAG® STD Kit delivers sensitive, specific and fast detection of the most important STDs related pathogens, thus empowering clinicians to make appropriate patient management.
• Description: QuickTAAG® STD offers a sensitive and specific way to detect and identify the most frequent STD related pathogens. This kit detects simultaneously, in one reaction, the following bacteria: Ureaplasma urealyticum, Mycoplasma hominis, Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
• Assay Time: 3 hrs.
• Sample Material: DNA isolated directly from vaginal and cervical swabs using the DNExtract Swab Kit.
QuickTAAG® STD Kit Performance
Detection limit: Detection starting from 10 copy of pure bacterial DNA. Detection of 50 CFU per vaginal and cervical swabs.
Specificity: Isolates of 11 microorganisms usually found in the same samples were tested. All negative.
QuickTAAG® GBS
Fast and Accurate Detection of GBS in Pregnant Women
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) the most common cause of life-threatening infections in newborns in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The QuickTAAG® GBS Kit delivers accurate results in about 3 hours.
• Description: QuickTAAG® GBS offers a sensitive and specific way to detect and identify the Group B Streptococcus.
• Assay Time: 3 hrs.
• Sample Material: DNA isolated directly from vaginal and perianal swabs using the DNExtract Swab Kit.
QuickTAAG® GBS Kit Performance
Detection limit: Detection starting from 10 copy of pure bacterial DNA. Detection of 50 CFU per vaginal and perianal swabs.
Specificity: Isolates of 15 microorganisms usually found in the same samples were tested. All negative.
QuickTAAG® HPV
Simultaneous Genotyping of Multiple HPV Through DNA Sequencing
When used together, the Pap test plus the QuickTAAG® HPV test, they offer highly accurate and reliable cervical cancer screening results.
Reliable Results
QuickTAAG® HPV detects and identify simultaneously over 40 HPV types, including all 14 high-risk HPV types as designated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and the low-risk HPV that cause genital warts.
Current HPV tests can cross-react with low-risk strains of the HPV virus. QuickTAAG® HPV, by contrast, since it is based on DNA sequencing, does not cross-react, substantially reducing false positives and the resulting potential for over treating patients. Likewise, patients with high-risk HPV types can be managed accordingly.
| LR HPV Type | 6 | 11 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 53 |
| hc2® | Cross-Reacts | Cross-Reacts | Cross-Reacts | Cross-Reacts | Cross-Reacts | Cross-Reacts |
How QuickTAAG® HPV Works
QuickTAAG® HPV advances the accuracy and reliability of HPV testing by using proprietary primers to detect the presence of HPV. Then through DNA sequencing and our DNA SeqFinder Software the multiple HPV types are identified.
DNExtract Swab Kit
Fast and Easy DNA Extraction from Vaginal, Perianal and Cervical Swabs
DNExtract Swab kit is intended for fast and easy extraction of DNA directly from swabs. This kit provides DNA ready to use with PCR-based TAAG Diagnostics kits. DNExtract Swab kit has been used successfully to prepare DNA template from vaginal, cervical and perianal swabs.
Features and Benefits
•Cost-effective
•All reagents required are included in kit and ready to use
HAI Division
Overview
Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are infections that patients acquire during the course of receiving treatment for other conditions within a healthcare setting.
HAIs are a global crisis affecting both patients and healthcare workers. Financially, HAIs represent an estimated annual impact of $6.7 billion to healthcare facilities, but the human cost is even higher. A Centers for Disease Control (CDC) report published in March-April 2007 estimated the number of U.S. deaths from healthcare asociated infections in 2002 at 98,987.
The CDC and SHEA have both published guidelines on how to reduce or eliminate healthcare associated infections. As a part of a quality infection control program, in both guidelines the active surveillance of MRSA (methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and VRE (vancomycin resistant enterococci) are fundamental.
TAAG Diagnostics has developed and conducted clinical trials for its kits intended for the fast and accurate detection and identification of VRE and MRSA directly from clinical samples.
Fast and Accurate HAI Surveillance Testing
Our kits have an internal amplification control and a unique "contamination-proof" system that can be activated in case of contamination of the reagents or used routinely to avoid potential contaminations.
The growing portfolio of kits includes:
| Kit | Sample | Targets |
|---|---|---|
| QuickTAAG® VRE | Rectal swabs | E. faecium, E. faecalis, VanA, VanB |
| QuickTAAG® MRSA | Nasal swabs | Methicillin resistant S. aureus |
| QuickTAAG® Staph | Blood culture | Staphylococcus spp, S. aureus, MecA |
| QuickTAAG® Cdiff* | Stool | ToxB from C. difficile |
* In development
QuickTAAG® VRE
Fast and Accurate VRE Surveillance Testing
Active vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) surveillance programs constitute an effective strategy for decreasing the spread of VRE infections. The QuickTAAG® VRE Kit delivers results in about 3 hours, reducing the time for hospital-acquired VRE transmissions from days to hours, facilitating and accelerating interventions to prevent VRE spread.
• Description: QuickTAAG® VRE offers a rapid and easy way to detect and identify the most frequent Enterococcus species, E. faecalis and E. faecium, along with the main vancomycin antibiotic resistance genotypes of the Enterococcus genus (VanA and VanB genes) simultaneously in one reaction.
• Assay Time: 3 hrs.
• Sample Material: DNA isolated directly from rectal swabs using the DNExtract Rectal Swab Kit.
QuickTAAG® VRE Kit Performance
Results of the clinical validation:
| Culture | ||||
| Positive | Negative | Total | ||
| QuickTAAG® VRE | Positive | 87 | 3 | 90 |
| Negative | 2 | 95 | 97 | |
| Total | 89 | 98 | 187 | |
All QuickTAAG® VRE positive but culture negative were sequenced in order to corroborate preliminary false positive results and adjust accordingly.
With results in only 4 hours, QuickTAAG® VRE delivers 97% sensitivity and 97% specificity for VRE testing directly from rectal swabs.
DNExtract Rectal Swab Kit
High Quality Extraction of DNA Directly from Rectal Swabs
DNExtract Rectal Swab kit is intended for efficient extraction of DNA directly from rectal swabs. This kit provides high quality DNA ready to use with PCR-based TAAG Diagnostics kits. DNExtract Rectal Swab kit has been used successfully to prepare DNA template from rectal swabs.
Features and Benefits
•Cost-effective.
•All reagents required are included in kit and ready to use.
QuickTAAG® MRSA
Fast and Accurate MRSA Surveillance Testing
Active methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) surveillance programs constitute an effective strategy for decreasing the spread of MRSA infections. The QuickTAAG® MRSA Kit delivers results in about 3 hours, reducing the time for hospital-acquired MRSA transmissions from days to hours, facilitating and accelerating interventions to prevent MRSA spread.
• Description: QuickTAAG® MRSA offers a rapid and easy way to detect and identify methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
• Assay Time: 3 hrs.
• Sample Material: DNA isolated directly from nasopharyngeal swabs using the DNExtract Swab Kit.
QuickTAAG® MRSA Kit Performance
Results of the clinical validation:
| Culture | ||||
| Positive | Negative | Total | ||
| QuickTAAG® MRSA | Positive | 42 | 2 | 44 |
| Negative | 2 | 101 | 103 | |
| Total | 44 | 103 | 147 | |
All QuickTAAG® MRSA positive but culture negative were sequenced in order to corroborate preliminary false positive results and adjust accordingly.
With results in only 4 hours, QuickTAAG® MRSA delivers 95.5% sensitivity and 98.1% specificity for MRSA testing directly from nasal swabs.
DNExtract Nasal Swab Kit
Fast and Easy DNA Extraction from Nasal Swabs
DNExtract Nasal Swab kit is intended for fast and easy extraction of DNA directly from nasal swabs. This kit provides DNA ready to use with PCR-based TAAG Diagnostics kits. DNExtract Nasal Swab kit has been used successfully to prepare DNA template from nasal swabs.
Features and Benefits
•Cost-effective.
•All reagents required are included in kit and ready to use.
QuickTAAG® Staph
Detection of Life Threatening Pathogens in Blood Culture Bottles
Timely identification and treatment of blood infections have been proven to reduce healthcare costs and improve patient outcomes. With results in 3 hours, versus 2-3 days with traditional culture, the QuickTAAG® Staph Kit is the first diagnostic test to simultaneous detect and differentiate Staphylococcus spp, S. aureus, and MecA gene directly from positive blood culture.
• Description: QuickTAAG® Staph offers a fast and specific way to detect and identify Staphylococcus spp, S. aureus, and MecA gene directly from positive blood culture.
• Assay Time: 3 hrs.
• Sample Material: DNA isolated directly blood culture bottles using the DNExtract Hemo Kit.
QuickTAAG® Staph Kit Performance
Results of the clinical validation:
| Culture | |||||||
| MRSA | SAS | SCNR | SCNS | Other | Total | ||
| QuickTAAG® Staph | MRSA | 40 | 40 | ||||
| MSSA | 2 | 34 | 36 | ||||
| MRCN | 132 | 2 | 134 | ||||
| MSCN | 39 | 39 | |||||
| Negative | 26 | 26 | |||||
| Total | 42 | 34 | 132 | 41 | 26 | 275 | |
Summary of results:
| Positive Percent Agreement | Negative Percent Agreement | |
| MRSA | 95.2 | 99.1 |
| MSSA | 94.4 | 99.1 |
| MRCN | 98.5 | 98.6 |
| MSCN | 95.1 | 99.1 |
| Negative | 100 | 100 |
MRSA:methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus;MSSA: Methicillin sensitive S. aureus; MRCN: Methicillin Resistance Coagulase Negative Staphylococcus; MSCN: Methicillin Sensitive Coagulase Negative Staphylococcus.
DNExtract Hemo Kit
High quality extraction of DNA from blood culture samples
DNExtract Blood Kit is designed for the rapid preparation of DNA from blood culture samples. Purification is based on spin filter resin as the separation matrix, therefore DNA is purified from other cellular, blood and blood culture bottles components. This kit provides high quality DNA ready to use with PCR-based TAAG Diagnostics kits.
Features and Benefits
•Cost-effective.
•All reagents required are included in kit and ready to use.
Overview
A partnership for long-term success… for patient health and your practice
TAAG Diagnostics’ Service division is focused on partnering with hospitals and commercial labs to support their role in people’s health and to reduce costs for episodes of care. TAAG Diagnostics service will continue to provide cutting-edge research and development of new assays as well as refinement of existing diagnostic tests to produce assays with greater sensitivity, specificity, efficiency and clinical value for reliable and cost-effective patient assessment.
Tests
All assays are based on Multiplex PCR technology and have been extensively validated in public and private healthcare institutions.
| Service | Sample | Targets | Division |
| VRE | Rectal swab | E. faecium, E. fecalis, VanA, VanB | HAI |
| MRSA | Nasal swab | Methicillin resistant S. aureus | HAI |
| Staph | Blood culture | Staphylococcus spp., S. aureus, MecA | HAI |
| STD | Vaginal and cervical swab | C. trachomatis, N. gonorrhea, M. hominis, U. urealyticum | Woman Health |
| STD Plus | Vaginal and cervical swab | Group B Streptococcus, C. trachomatis, N. gonorrhea, M. hominis, U. urealyticum | Woman Health |
| CT/NG | Vaginal and cervical swab | C. trachomatis, N. gonorrhea | Woman Health |
| GBS | Vaginal and cervical swab | Group B Streptococcus | Woman Health |
| HPV | Cervical swab | Detection and genotyping of HPV | Woman Health |