Extreme Weather Results in High Risk of Mycotoxin Contamination
Extreme Weather Results in High Risk of Mycotoxin Contamination
Mycotoxin contamination is a real and constant threat for feed and animal compound producers globally. Recently the University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontairo stated that the different geographical locations of cattle mean between 10 and 20 mycotoxins can be present at once. This is a result of extreme weather patterns across the US with excess moisture and drought in different areas causing an increase in the frequency of mycotoxins, creating challenges in protecting livestock from ingesting contaminated feed.
The most common mycotoxins found are Aflatoxin, Fusarium, Deoxynivalenol and Zearalenone. Aflatoxin is produced by Aspergillus flavus, a tropical fungus that thrives in high humidity and affects an animal’s liver, causing cancer in more extreme cases. Fusarium can develop in most temperate climates across the U.S and Canada. Fusarium poses a higher threat than other toxins as there are hundreds of different chemical structures to analyse to enable identification of the Fusarium.
Difficulties also arise in finding an analytical method sensitive enough to detect mycotoxins at low levels of contamination as small amounts can still lead to fatal results in horses, dogs and cats.
To prevent mycotoxin infection in feed, processors can implement a routine screening procedure with the help of Randox Food Diagnostics. Randox Food offer a multiplex screening system for the simultaneous detection of up to 10 of the world’s most prevalent mycotoxins including: Paxilline, Fumonisins (part of the Fusarium group), Ochratoxin A, Aflatoxin G1/G2, Aflatoxin B1/B2, Ergot Alkaloids, Diacetoxyscirpenol, Deoxynivalenol, T2 Toxin and Zearalenone. All compounds are screened at low limits of detection using Biochip Array Technology.
Biochip Array Technology is a patented technology created by Randox to facilitate the detection of contaminants and drug residues with over 20 evaluated matrices in feed (see full list below).
| Animal Feed (Complete) | Millet | Sunflower |
| Barley | Mustard Seed | Wheat |
| Beet | Palm Kernel | Grass |
| Buckwheat | Rapeseed | Whey |
| Corn/Maize | Rice | Linseed |
| Cotton Seed | Rye | Feed Pea |
| Distillers Grain | Silage | Vetches (Vica) |
| Hay | Soya | Oat |
To learn more about Mycotoxin testing with Randox Food Diagnostics email, info@randoxfooddiagnostics.com
Study by Center for Disease Dynamics finds dramatic rise in global antibiotic consumption
A dramatic increase in global consumption of antibiotics has led public health experts to call for innovative new ways to rein in excessive use of the drugs, following a study by the Centre for Disease Dynamics, Economics and Policy, in Washington DC.
The study found a 65% rise in worldwide consumption of antibiotics from 2000 to 2015, despite efforts to encourage more prudent use of the drugs. The unrestrained use of antibiotics is the main cause of the increasing appearance of drug-resistant infections, which now kill more than half a million people worldwide. A report in 2014 predicted that the spread of drug resistance could claim millions of lives per year by 2050.
Eili Klein, an author of the study, which was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, criticised the global response to the global antibiotic resistance crisis as “slow and inadequate” and called for a “radical thinking” of antibiotic consumption.
At Randox, our pioneering R&D teams have developed a revolutionary swab test for respiratory infections which will help to reduce the unnecessary prescription of antibiotics. Earlier this year, Public Health England reported that 59% of people who visited their GP with a sore throat were prescribed antibiotics, in spite of only 13% actually needing them.
The new Randox swab test indicates the cause of the infection and whether a patient needs antibiotics or not, by rapidly detecting and identifying the cause of 21 respiratory infections in just 5 hours
The test assists the clinician in prescribing the appropriate antibiotic.
John Lamont, Lead Scientist at Randox Laboratories, said;
“Current diagnostic testing for respiratory infections takes at least 36 hours to confirm the nature of an infection, and they cannot name and categorise infections as bacterial or viral in the way our new respiratory test can.”
This test, if widely adopted, could allow medical practitioners to make the correct treatment choice on the same day as examination and before patients have already begun a precautionary course of inefficient antibiotics. It would also have additional efficiency savings for the NHS, by eliminating the need for lengthy microbiology lab tests and unnecessarily prescribing drugs which are not needed.
This new rapid and accurate test will give clinicians confidence in their diagnosis of respiratory infections and will allow for quicker treatment if necessary, which benefits patient outcomes. By reducing the prescription of unnecessary antibiotics, we can limit their use only for when they are truly needed.
The test is also available as a Randox Health Cough, Cold & Flu offering, and can be carried out by booking an appointment with Randox Health at our clinics in Crumlin, Holywood or London, or by arranging the mobile clinic to visit you at your home or place of work.
Book an appointment with one of our clinics, or arrange the mobile clinic, by phoning 0800 2545 130 or by clicking here.
For further information about the Randox Respiratory Infection Array please contact the Randox PR team by email: randoxpr@randox.com or phone 028 9442 2413
Sir AP McCoy and father of late āKing of Heswallā team up for Randox Health Week
Almost a year to the day of the tragic death of the “King of Heswall” Tim Cogley, his father will be joined by some of the UK’s best-known sports stars at an event in Liverpool to raise awareness of how lives can be saved through improving access to earlier routine health screening.
On April 9th 2017 Tim, who was only 34-years old, suffered a fatal heart attack due to a genetic condition which could have been managed had it been diagnosed earlier. It spurred his father, Frank Cogley, to set up a charity to raise awareness of the importance of health checks for young people.
He’ll be joined at the free Randox Health Week event in Exchange Station on 11th April by legendary jockey Sir AP McCoy, champion boxer Paul Smith and Olympic sailor Matt McGovern. The public will be invited to join the discussions as well.
Frank said: “It’s been recently reported that at least 12 under-35s die from undiagnosed heart conditions every week in the UK. The current lack of routine screening of 18-40-year olds leaves a gaping chasm in our healthcare provision. With our highly motivated partners, through events like this, we hope to redress this through lifestyle changes and preventative medical programmes. The ‘Tim Cogley Cardiac Screening Foundation’ is committed to delivering positive, action-focused and life-changing programmes. I can’t imagine a legacy more in tune with the generous, kind and supportive person that was Tim!”
This is the second year that Randox Health Week has been held in the city. The areas of mental health and active cities will be explored on days one and two – the 9th and 10th respectively. On each of the mornings, local athletes Franny Norton and Derry Mathews will be putting pupils to the test with a range of sporting activities at LJMU’s Byrom Street campus.
By working with the city’s leading universities – Liverpool John Moores and Liverpool Hope – cutting-edge innovations in healthcare and emerging trends are being shared with a global audience. One such ground-breaking development is a test for prediabetes which is key to tackling the worldwide threat of preventable cases of Type-2 diabetes. It’s something that legendary jockey Sir Anthony McCoy, also taking part in Wednesday’s talk, has first-hand experience of:
“When I got my first test results back that said I had prediabetes, it floored me. I had never imagined that I, someone who had been a professional athlete all of my life, could develop it. It just goes to show that we’re all vulnerable. I only wish it had been around when it could have helped my mum who lived with Type-2 diabetes for many years. As daunting as it was getting the diagnosis, it’s been empowering to very simply make lifestyle changes to reverse it. This needs to be accessible to everyone – it needs to be on the national diabetes screening programme.”
Dr Peter FitzGerald, Managing Director of Randox Health, commented: “The themes we’re focusing on this week are some of the most important global concerns facing us today – mental health, physical activity and showing people the benefits to being proactive about their health, rather than facing the consequences of preventable sickness. You need look no further than Frank Cogley who is working tirelessly to turn his son’s tragic death into a force for good to see how important this is. With the support from AP McCoy and Paul Smith, we hope this event will inspire many people in the city and beyond.”
Tickets are free and can be reserved at www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/randox-health-week-2018-tickets-43648350391
For further information about Randox Health Week, please contact the Randox PR team by email: randoxpr@randox.com or by phone: 028 9442 2413
Biochip Carrier Applications in the Randox Evidence Series
Biochip Array Technology is the fundamental component which drives the Randox Evidence Series immunoanalysers. The simultaneous detection of multiple analytes from a single sample allows for a complete patient profile, providing exceptional time, resource and cost savings.
The Evidence Series analysers all carry the Biochip in different applications. In order to gain a better understanding of how it is utilised, the illustrations below demonstrate how adaptable and flexible the technology is across the Evidence Series.
Evidence Evolution
- One strip contains 10 biochips
- Analyser can hold 20 strips
- Can produce a throughput of up to 2640 tests per hour
Evidence
- Each cassette contains 10 carriers
- Each carrier has 9 wells
- Analyser can hold 4 cassettes at once
- Can produce a throughput of up to 3960 tests per hour
Evidence Investigator
- Analyser holds 1 cartridge
- 1 cartridge contains 9 wells
- Thermoshaker capable of carrying 6 cartridges
- Can produce a throughput of up to 2376 tests per hour
Evidence MultiSTAT
- Analyser holds 1 cartridge
- Cartridge comes pre-loaded with reagents and QC
- Can produce a throughput of up to 132 tests per hour
About the Randox Evidence Series
The Evidence Series is set to revolutionise diagnostic testing forever. Offering unrivalled capabilities across all analysers, we truly believe that the Evidence Series range of immunoassay analysers can meet your diagnostic testing capabilities.
For more information on any of the Evidence Series analysers, visit https://www.randox.com/evidence-series/ or contact us evidenceseries@randox.com.
Randox Toxicology on Spain’s War with Heroin
Neighbourhoods across Spain recently came together to form the National Network of Cities and Neighbourhoods affected by Narcopisos, which are abandoned buildings used as drug flats. The Guardian reported how the organisation aims to raise awareness of Spain’s drug problem and shut down the empty properties being used as distribution points to buy, smoke and inject heroin.
Neighbours living close to narcopisos have described the scene as filthy, loud and dangerous. Blood, faeces and syringes have been found on the stairs and doorways to the buildings accompanied with people passing out or fighting. With cheap heroin of a poor quality, the largest narcopiso in Carrer d’en Roig was shut down after receiving up to 150 clients an hour. Barcelona’s city council cleaned up areas and secured properties in Raval as part of a €500,000 project. However, drug dealers are reportedly moving quicker than the courts and police.
When it comes to heroin, dealers do not discriminate and neither does the product. Business executives, pregnant women, teenagers and people with disabilities have all been victim to narcopisos in Spain. In areas such as La Linea de la Concepción, unemployment is at 80% and drug dealing is seen as an opportunity for the youth to make money. In 2017, director the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), Alexis Goosdeel reported, “Opioids and often heroin, are present in the majority of cases, often in combination with alcohol or benzodiazepine.”
Utilising our patented Biochip Array Technology, our DoA ULTRA panel offers the most comprehensive drugs of abuse screen across multiple forensic matrices. Detecting up to 20 targets drugs including heroin and other opioids, it has the largest cross-reactivity profile of over 240 analytes. Our excellent assay precision and performance eliminates false reporting, offering CVs of typically <10%. Randox Toxicology produce an accurate drug profile to ensure confidence in results.
For more information about our revolutionary Biochip Array and DoA ULTRA panel, email info@randoxtoxicology.com or visit www.randoxtoxicology.com
Dr Peter FitzGerald named as Irish Times Business Person of the Month
Randox Laboratories are pleased to announce that Managing Director Dr Peter FitzGerald has been named as the Irish Times’ Business Person of the Month for February 2018.
The award follows an announcement from Randox that the company will be investing £50m into three new Centres of Excellence in Northern Ireland, which will deliver cutting-edge technologies to diagnose conditions like cancer, heart conditions and infectious diseases.
At the time of the announcement, Dr FitzGerald commented;
“Enabling earlier and more accurate diagnosis, to identify those at the earliest stages of illness, ideally before the onset of any symptoms, is a game-changer. Through early intervention we can restrict the development of chronic conditions and improve people’s lives. Our view of the future is one where people are empowered through earlier diagnosis to stay healthier for longer, and where healthcare systems are freed to deliver quality services to patients. Our announcement today demonstrates our continuing commitment in this field.”
Scientists from the Antrim-headquartered group will work collaboratively with researchers and scientists from both Queen’s University and Ulster University in the new centres, which were launched at the new Randox Science Park by Sir John Bell.
In addition to the Randox Science Park, Randox has manufacturing, and research and development operations in Antrim, Donegal, India and the United States, and employs more than 1400 people across the globe.
Having been focused in the field of clinical diagnostics for over 36 years, Randox has a successful track record of developing new and innovative tests – examples include assessing those at risk of Alzheimer’s disease and genetic cardiac conditions, to promote and enable preventive treatment, and a new clinically-approved test to diagnose prediabetes.
Each year 5% of the world’s population – more than 370 million people in 145 countries – receive a health diagnosis via a product manufactured by Randox.
For further information please contact the Randox PR team by emailing randoxpr@randox.com or phoning 028 9442 2413.
Randox Biosciences: dedicated to advancing scientific discovery
Randox Laboratories is an international clinical diagnostic solutions company with over 35 years’ experience in the industry. Randox is a global market leader, providing revolutionary products for laboratories worldwide and is dedicated to improving health.
Randox Biosciences is part of Randox Laboratories and is dedicated to advancing scientific discovery, drug development and diagnostics. Spanning four key divisions; Life Sciences, Pharma Sciences, Research and Molecular; Randox Biosciences offers complete tailored solutions for clinical and research use.
From initial cultivation of raw materials for assay development, through to providing companion diagnostics, custom and molecular based assays across a range of therapy areas; Randox Biosciences is a trusted partner supplying quality diagnostic solutions to the clinical, life science, pharmaceutical, research and biopharma industries. We specialise in supplying academic centres, genetics laboratories and the global biopharmaceutical industry with products tailored to their specific needs.
Randox Biosciences Research team encompasses a knowledgeable group of who are dedicated to assisting your research project to completion. Recently, the research team has expanded to include Business Development Executives in America to support academic centres of excellence achieve their potential while utilising our quality products. We are proud to welcome Rebecca Newburg who will be focusing her efforts on the US-Midwest market and Celestine Eshiet who will be working on the US -West Coast.
We cover five areas of research such as Sport and Exercise, Cardiovascular, Metabolic, Immunology and Oncology. These five areas include our Metabolic Syndrome Array 1 & 2, Cytokine Arrays and Cardiac Array including CK-MB, H-FABP, Myoglobin and Troponin.
If you work in an academic centre and are interested in our variety of arrays, analysers whether that be chemistry or immunoassay analysers, or our reagents or quality control please do not hesitate to contact us at info@randoxbiosciences.com.
We Are Randox | Environmental Manager Charles McGonagle on protecting local wildlife
As a global company with its roots firmly planted in Northern Ireland’s glorious countryside, we’re extremely proud of the beautiful scenery that surrounds our County Antrim headquarters.
With an abundance of flora, fauna and natural wildlife living on the shores of Lough Neagh – where we have our offices – we know the importance of looking after the environment. After all, at Randox HQ we are lucky enough to admire the view from our office windows every day.
That’s why we have a dedicated Environmental Management team at Randox – whose role it is to prevent pollution, reduce waste, recycle consistently, and in general, to control and reduce the risks to air, land and water.
In this month’s #WeAreRandox interview, we chat to Charles McGonagle, Randox Environmental Manager, about a typical day in his job, the importance of respecting your local environment, and what it is that makes his career so worthwhile.
Here’s Charles’ story.
We’re very lucky that at Randox we get to work in such a beautiful part of the Northern Irish countryside. Our headquarters are located just outside Crumlin, near the International Airport, and sit just on the edge of Lough Neagh, the biggest lake in UK and Ireland.
It was recently named one of the Top 100 global sustainable destinations – an initiative which aims to recognise tourism destinations that have worked hard to make a difference and take sustainability seriously. And that’s certainly what we do here at Randox.
We take our environmental responsibility very seriously, not only because of our location, but also because we owe much of our 35 years of success to the support from the local community in which Randox was raised – so we like to give back when we can.
Each year our team plant a new area of trees around Lough Neagh, to make sure the area continues to develop and flourish. In addition to its rich collection of trees, badgers, squirrels, insects and mushrooms, there are also 100,000 birds who flock to Lough Neagh during the winter, coming from places as far away as Canada, Iceland and Russia, and we’re passionate about maintaining this sort of wildlife diversity in the Lough.
Everyone at Randox has their role to play in achieving this aim – not just the Environmental team. A typical day for me would involve a site visit to a particular area of the company, to monitor its activity and environmental performance, and identify areas for improvement, so every day I’m in a different area, learning something new and interesting about the company. With such diversity in the activities and processes the environmental team are involved in, everyone across the company gets the opportunity to review and evaluate their impact on the environment.
Whether a scientist or marketer, manufacturing operative or salesperson, we all make an effort to reduce our waste where we can – for example by turning off our computers, heating and lighting when not in use, and maintaining our equipment properly so we maximise their efficiency. In our attempts to reduce our atmosphere emissions and energy use, every little helps!
Our engineering and manufacturing team, in particular, take environmental factors into consideration daily – whether the material they have chosen is environmentally friendly, if their processes are efficient and if waste material can be recycled.
And our training department has also recently moved onto a paperless data management system to reduce our impact on the environment even more.
I think that’s one of the most rewarding things about my job – seeing people get involved and engaged in ways in which we can improve our environmental friendliness. As someone who is passionate about protecting and improving the environment – I studied Environmental Management at university and then worked with the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute – I feel very lucky to work in a company which places such importance on looking after the environment and reducing its carbon footprint.
Randox are constantly trying to find more ways to reduce environmental impact, contribute to the reduction of global CO2 emissions, and make sure that this area of outstanding natural beauty in County Antrim is preserved for many generations to come.
For further information on what we do at Randox to protect the local environment, please contact the Randox PR Team: phone 028 9442 2413 or email randoxpr@randox.com
Looking after your kidney health during your pregnancy
With this year’s World Kidney Day theme focusing on women’s health and in particular, their kidney health, the campaign is drawing attention to the need for a higher awareness, timely diagnosis and proper follow-up of kidney issues amongst women.
One key area being highlighted by the campaign is the close links between pregnancy and kidney health problems. The two are intrinsically connected – with CKD considered a high-risk factor for problematic pregnancies and reduced fertility, and in turn, pregnancy-related complications, including preeclampsia, can increase the risk of kidney disease.
Although not commonly known, women who have Chronic Kidney Disease are at increased risk of hypertensive disorders and premature births – which can be devastating for all involved.
Women with Chronic Kidney Disease who become pregnant also usually have mild kidney dysfunction, the severity of which will depend on the stage the CKD is at.
It is clear therefore that there is a need for increased awareness of Chronic Kidney Disease in pregnancy, to timely identify its existence before conception, and to monitor its progress before, during and after birth.
With a comprehensive panel of kidney health tests, Randox are working to ensure timely diagnosis of kidney function problems, to ensure that necessary treatment is administered at the earliest possible stage, when it is most likely to be successful.
Pregnant women, or women hoping to get pregnant in the future, can therefore determine their kidney health and be empowered to embark upon the necessary lifestyle changes or treatment required to ensure a safe and healthy pregnancy.
For example, the Randox test for albumin, low concentrations of which are the earliest marker of kidney damage, can identify individuals with diabetic nephropathy (damage to the kidneys caused by diabetes) around 10 years earlier than standard protein tests. The Randox albumin test can therefore enable preventative measures to be taken to reduce your risk of developing kidney disease.
In addition to albumin, there are a number of other highly specific and sensitive tests for kidney health, which are available as part of a Randox Health Check at our Randox Health Clinics. These include;
- Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate, which is an equation that considers age, gender, blood and protein levels to determine how well the kidneys are functioning.
- Creatinine, which is a waste product produced by muscle tissue, and removed by the kidneys. When kidney function is diminished, creatinine levels increase.
- Other proteins within the body which should be filtered by the kidneys, and are therefore measured to determine kidney function, include;
– Cystatin C
– Beta-2-Microglobulin
– Microalbumin, which is not usually found in urine, but can appear when normal kidney function is impaired.
- Minerals processed by the kidneys and analysed by Randox Health include;
– Magnesium
– Calcium
– Phosphate
– Potassium
– Sodium
Both World Kidney Day and Randox are working towards improving healthcare worldwide. With access to these high-performance kidney health tests, expectant mothers with kidney problems can be diagnosed early, before the condition develops into something more serious – keeping both you, and your baby healthy.
With early diagnosis we can improve patient treatment outcomes and reduce the number of people across the world suffering with kidney health problems.
If you are a clinician or lab interested in running renal function assays, download our Reagents Brochure or email reagents@randox.com
If you want to find out the status of your own Kidney Health, book a health check with Randox Health today. Speak to our team by phoning 0800 2545 130.
Randox Testing Services: Customer Testimonials from Ireland
At Randox Testing Services (RTS), we pride ourselves on helping our customers improve the health and safety of their working environment. Using our accurate and reliable testing methods and a range of additional services including training and policy reviews, we create tailored packages to meet the needs of our customers. We work with customers all over the world, but this month are highlighting the work we are doing across Ireland.
This month RTS will be attending the Northern Ireland Occupational Health, Hygiene and Wellbeing Conference at Titanic Belfast. This conference brings together companies from a range of industries all across Ireland to discuss the importance of employee health and wellbeing. As a company that began in Northern Ireland, RTS have always had strong connections with local businesses and are continually expanding our reach across Ireland.
Some of the companies with which we currently work, like GRAHAM construction, have recently provided feedback on our services. GRAHAM is based in Hillsborough, Co. Down and is a national construction, asset management and project investment business. They deliver services to a diverse range of clients from a network of regional offices, throughout the UK and Ireland.
“GRAHAM Construction are proud to be partnered with Randox as their main Drug & Alcohol Service Provider. Over the years they have given a consistent, prompt, efficient, and professional service that delivered what was promised, when promised, to the proper agreed standards, which assists us in managing our relevant responsibilities with ease and confidence. I would have no hesitation in recommending them to others.”
This is great feedback to receive from such a reputable company who have a range of different testing needs. The construction industry is becoming more and more proactive when it comes to drug and alcohol testing. At RTS our experience working with GRAHAM and other major construction firms across the UK and Ireland means we are extremely well equipped to deal with the changing needs of this industry.
Another industry which requires a flexible and reliable drug and alcohol testing services provider is the aviation industry, especially when it comes to recruitment. We have been working with CAE Parc Aviation Services, the global leader in the provision of aviation personnel and support services to conduct pre-employment testing.
“We use Randox for Pre-Employment and Random Drug & Alcohol testing for select clients. We would happily recommend their services.”
Again, through working with various industries, the experience our staff possess is second to none. By qualifying the exact needs of our customers we create customised, cost-effective packages to ensure all testing needs are met.
As well as offering drug and alcohol testing services, our complete solution also includes a host of training, educational and consultancy services to equip our customers in tackling drug and alcohol misuse. Including comprehensive chain of custody training programs, which enables employers to conduct on-site collections to the same standard as a Randox Testing Services collection specialist.
The Henderson Group in Newtownabbey are another large company that has availed of the services offered by Randox Testing Services. The Henderson Group are the owners of the SPAR, EUROSPAR, ViVO, ViVOXTRA and ViVO Essentials franchises in Northern Ireland and have been distributing food and grocery-related products to the convenience retail sector for over 100 years.
“We switched provider for our Drug and Alcohol policy almost two years ago, moving to Randox. The switchover was relatively seamless and the impact on our business has been positive. Our tests are now all completed within target and we have realised a saving to boot. We are glad we made the switch.”
Randox Testing Services is committed to tailoring our service to the needs of customers all over the world, and across the island of Ireland.
If your company would like to speak to us, please contact testingservices@randox.com
Alternatively you can contact David O’Regan, the Business Development Executive for Ireland directly: David.O’Regan@randox.com.
