CALPROTECTIN ALERT®

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Calprotectin is a major protein found in the inflammatory cells such as neutrophil granulocytes. The incidence of inflammatory bowel disease is increasing and elevated levels of faecal calprotectin indicate the migration of neutrophils into the gut lumen. The calprotectin which is recognized as having a bacteriostatic and mycostatic activity is released and further secreted with stool. As the protein is resistant to degradation it has become a marker of choice to detect inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s diseases or ulcerative colitis (which may need further surgery) and to discriminate them from the irritable bowel syndrome (which does not need invasive endoscopic procedures).

The CALPROTECTIN’ ALERT® by PHARMA Southern Africa is a fast and convenient immunological test for the detection of calprotectin in faeces when its concentration is exceeding 50 μg of calprotectin per gram of faeces.

WHEN SHOULD THE TEST BE PERFORMED?

CALPROTECTIN’ ALERT® test can be performed when persistent (4 weeks or more) or recurrent (2 episodes in 6 months or more) abdominal pain or diarrhea are occurring. Rectal bleeding, weight loss or anaemia may also increase the probability of intestinal inflammation. The test could be performed any time of the day. The test cannot be performed on liquid stool. You should therefore consult your doctor before performing the test in case of liquid faeces (diarrhea etc.).

WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO IF THE RESULT IS POSITIVE?

If the result is positive, it means that the calprotectin is exceeding 50 mcg/gr of faeces and that you should consult a practitioner. Then the practitioner will decide whether additional investigations should be performed.

INCLUDED IN KIT

A sealed aluminum pouch containing:

• 1 test device and 1 desiccant pouch (Only open the protection pouch after having collected the faeces sample. The desiccant bag should be discarded).
• 1 faeces collection paper strip
• 1 sample dilution vial containing 3.5 mL of extraction solution
• 1 leaflet
  

HOW TO USE

Before performing the test, a stool sample must be collected as indicated hereunder:

A- sample collection

1. Wash your hands with soap and rinse with clear water.
2. The faeces should be collected using the special paper strip supplied in the box.
3. Unscrew the white cap of the sample dilution vial having the collection tip attached on it.
4. Collect the stool sample dipping the tip in 3 different places of the same stool sample.
5. Put the white cap containing the faeces sample back in place onto the dilution vial and screw it firmly. Shake the dilution vial for 10 seconds to resuspend the faeces sample into the diluent.

B- test procedure

1. Open the protective pouch using the notches and take out the test device. Discard the small desiccant bag.
2. Break the purple tip of the dilution vial; holding the dilution vial vertically, squeeze it to add 5 drops of diluted faeces sample into the sample well. Avoid air bubbles.
3. Read the result of the test 10 minutes after addition of the sample on the test device. Do not interpret after 15 minutes.

Click here to view the patient information leaflet.