scholarly journals Development of a Multiplex Real-Time PCR Assay with an Internal Amplification Control for the Detection of Total and Pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus Bacteria in Oysters

2007 ◽  
Vol 73 (18) ◽  
pp. 5840-5847 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica L. Nordstrom ◽  
Michael C. L. Vickery ◽  
George M. Blackstone ◽  
Shelley L. Murray ◽  
Angelo DePaola
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Real Time Pcr ◽  
Vibrio Parahaemolyticus ◽  
The United States ◽  
Internal Amplification Control ◽  
Most Probable Number ◽  
Specific Marker ◽  
Pcr Assay ◽  
Probable Number ◽  
The Real

ABSTRACT Vibrio parahaemolyticus is an estuarine bacterium that is the leading cause of shellfish-associated cases of bacterial gastroenteritis in the United States. Our laboratory developed a real-time multiplex PCR assay for the simultaneous detection of the thermolabile hemolysin (tlh), thermostable direct hemolysin (tdh), and thermostable-related hemolysin (trh) genes of V. parahaemolyticus. The tlh gene is a species-specific marker, while the tdh and trh genes are pathogenicity markers. An internal amplification control (IAC) was incorporated to ensure PCR integrity and eliminate false-negative reporting. The assay was tested for specificity against >150 strains representing eight bacterial species. Only V. parahaemolyticus strains possessing the appropriate target genes generated a fluorescent signal, except for a late tdh signal generated by three strains of V. hollisae. The multiplex assay detected <10 CFU/reaction of pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus in the presence of >104 CFU/reaction of total V. parahaemolyticus bacteria. The real-time PCR assay was utilized with a most-probable-number format, and its results were compared to standard V. parahaemolyticus isolation methodology during an environmental survey of Alaskan oysters. The IAC was occasionally inhibited by the oyster matrix, and this usually corresponded to negative results for V. parahaemolyticus targets. V. parahaemolyticus tlh, tdh, and trh were detected in 44, 44, and 52% of the oyster samples, respectively. V. parahaemolyticus was isolated from 33% of the samples, and tdh + and trh + strains were isolated from 19 and 26%, respectively. These results demonstrate the utility of the real-time PCR assay in environmental surveys and its possible application to outbreak investigations for the detection of total and pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus.

Development of a Quantitative Real-Time PCR Method for Estimation of the Total Number of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in Contaminated Shellfish and Seawater

2005 ◽  
Vol 68 (5) ◽  
pp. 1083-1088 ◽  
Author(s):  
HAJIME TAKAHASHI ◽  
YOSHITO IWADE ◽  
HIROTAKA KONUMA ◽  
YUKIKO HARA-KUDO
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Real Time Pcr ◽  
Pure Culture ◽  
Vibrio Parahaemolyticus ◽  
Plate Count ◽  
Most Probable Number ◽  
Cycle Number ◽  
Probable Number ◽  
The Real ◽  
Pcr Method

A real-time PCR method targeting the toxR gene of Vibrio parahaemolyticus was developed to quantify the number of V. parahaemolyticus cells, including those of both the hemolysin-producing and nonproducing strains. The specificity of the primer and probe set was confirmed using 25 strains of V. parahaemolyticus and 30 strains of other microbial species. We determined the threshold cycle number using the real-time PCR and the number of V. parahaemolyticus cells by plate count using serially diluted pure culture and developed a standard curve for quantification. Standard curves for V. parahaemolyticus in seawater and seafood were established using artificially inoculated samples. The threshold cycle number and the number of V. parahaemolyticus cells were correlated with 101 to 107 CFU/ml in pure culture, seawater, and shellfish homogenate. The real-time PCR method developed in this study was compared with the most-probable-number method in seafood samples that were naturally contaminated. The differences in the number of V. parahaemolyticus cells as determined by the culture method and the PCR method were less than 10-fold.

Evaluation of DNA Colony Hybridization and Real-Time PCR for Detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio vulnificus in Postharvest-Processed Oysters

2009 ◽  
Vol 72 (10) ◽  
pp. 2106-2109 ◽  
Author(s):  
JESSICA L. JONES ◽  
KATHY E. NOE ◽  
ROBIN BYARS ◽  
ANGELO DePAOLA
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Real Time Pcr ◽  
Vibrio Parahaemolyticus ◽  
Vibrio Vulnificus ◽  
The United States ◽  
Most Probable Number ◽  
Probable Number ◽  
Colony Hybridization ◽  
Alkaline Peptone Water ◽  
Peptone Water

The applicability of real-time PCR was examined for detection of vibrios from postharvest-processed (PHP) oysters to allow for a more rapid assay and higher sample throughput than currently used. During June to October 2004, 68 PHP oyster samples were collected directly from PHP firms or from retail markets across the United States. PHP oysters were examined to determine the effectiveness of treatments in the reduction of vibrio levels and to compare the analytical methods utilized. The latter is the focus of the data presented here. Each sample was analyzed for Vibrio parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus by using a 2-dilution, three-tube most-probable-number (MPN) and a 25-g presence/absence enrichment in alkaline peptone water. Following 6-h and overnight enrichment, aliquots from each MPN tube and the 25-g sample were streaked onto selective media and tested by real-time PCR. Colonies from the selective agar were confirmed as V. parahaemolyticus or V. vulnificus by DNA colony hybridization. DNA hybridization and real-time PCR results for each MPN tube and the 25-g enrichment at both time points were analyzed individually for each organism. The methods were in agreement for 857 (95%) of 901 and for 882 (98%) of 903 tubes for detection of V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus, respectively. Overall, there was 96% agreement between real-time and DNA colony hybridization. The results obtained by real-time PCR were comparable to those from DNA colony hybridization, but analysis time was significantly reduced for the detection of vibrios in PHP-treated oysters.

Development of Rapid Real-Time PCR and Most-Probable-Number Real-Time PCR Assays To Quantify Enterotoxigenic Strains of the Species in the Bacillus cereus Group

2007 ◽  
Vol 70 (12) ◽  
pp. 2774-2781 ◽  
Author(s):  
I-CHEN YANG ◽  
DANIEL YANG-CHIH SHIH ◽  
JAN-YI WANG ◽  
TZU-MING PAN
Keyword(s):  
Bacillus Cereus ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Real Time Pcr ◽  
Food Samples ◽  
Most Probable Number ◽  
Pcr Assay ◽  
Bacillus Cereus Group ◽  
Probable Number ◽  
Cooked Rice ◽  
Group Detection

Members of the Bacillus cereus group may produce diarrheal enterotoxins and could be potential hazards if they enter the food chain. Therefore, a method capable of detecting all the species in the B. cereus group rather than B. cereus alone is important. We selected nhe as the target and developed a real-time PCR assay to quantify enterotoxigenic strains of the B. cereus group. The real-time PCR assay was evaluated with 60 B. cereus group strains and 28 others. The assay was also used to construct calibration curves for different food matrices and feces. The assay has an excellent quantification capacity, as proved by its linearity (R2 &gt; 0.993), wide dynamic quantification range (102 to 107 CFU/g for cooked rice and chicken, 103 to 107 CFU/ml for milk, and 104 to 107 CFU/g for feces), and adequate relative accuracy (85.5 to 101.1%). For the low-level contaminations, a most-probable-number real-time PCR assay was developed that could detect as low as 100 CFU/ml. Both assays were tested with real food samples and shown to be considerably appropriate for B. cereus group detection and quantification.

Real-Time PCR Quantification of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in Oysters Using an Alternative Matrix

2004 ◽  
Vol 67 (11) ◽  
pp. 2424-2429 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. E. KAUFMAN ◽  
G. M. BLACKSTONE ◽  
M. C. L. VICKERY ◽  
A. K. BEJ ◽  
J. BOWERS ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Real Time Pcr ◽  
Vibrio Parahaemolyticus ◽  
Pcr Amplification ◽  
Oyster Tissue ◽  
Pcr Assay ◽  
Colony Hybridization ◽  
The Real ◽  
Mantle Fluid ◽  
June July

This study examined the relationship between levels of total Vibrio parahaemolyticus found in oyster tissues and mantle fluid with the goal of using mantle fluid as a template matrix in a new quantitative real-time PCR assay targeting the thermolabile hemolysin (tlh) gene for the enumeration of total V. parahaemolyticus in oysters. Oysters were collected near Mobile Bay, Ala., in June, July, and September and tested immediately after collection and storage at 26°C for 24 h. Initial experiments using DNA colony hybridization targeting tlh demonstrated that natural V. parahaemolyticus levels in the mantle fluid of individual oysters were strongly correlated (r = 0.85, P &lt; 0.05) with the levels found in their tissues. When known quantities of cultured V. parahaemolyticus cells were added to real-time PCR reactions that contained mantle fluid and oyster tissue matrices separately pooled from multiple oysters, a strong linear correlation was observed between the real-time PCR cycle threshold and the log concentration of cells inoculated into each PCR reaction (mantle fluid: r = 0.98, P &lt; 0.05; and oyster: r = 0.99, P &lt; 0.05). However, the mantle fluid exhibited less inhibition of the PCR amplification than the homogenized oyster tissue. Analysis of natural V. parahaemolyticus populations in mantle fluids using both colony hybridization and real-time PCR demonstrated a significant (P &lt; 0.05) but reduced correlation (r =−0.48) between the two methods. Reductions in the efficiency of the real-time PCR that resulted from low population densities of V. parahaemolyticus and PCR inhibitors present in the mantle fluid of some oysters (with significant oyster-to-oyster variation) contributed to the reduction in correlation between the methods that was observed when testing natural V. parahaemolyticus populations. The V. parahaemolyticus–specific real-time PCR assay used for this study could estimate elevated V. parahaemolyticus levels in oyster mantle fluid within 1 h from sampling time.

Development of a Multiplex Real-Time PCR Assay with Internal Amplification Control for the Detection of Shigella Species and Enteroinvasive Escherichia coli

2010 ◽  
Vol 73 (9) ◽  
pp. 1618-1625 ◽  
Author(s):  
DEANNE M. DEER ◽  
KEITH A. LAMPEL
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Multiplex Pcr ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Real Time Pcr ◽  
The United States ◽  
Internal Amplification Control ◽  
Control Strain ◽  
Pcr Assay ◽  
Multiplex Pcr Assay ◽  
Shigella Species

Shigella species, particularly S. sonnei and S. flexneri, remain some of the leading bacterial etiological agents of gastrointestinal diseases in the United States and globally. The isolation and detection of these foodborne pathogens are critical for preventing the spread of disease and facilitating epidemiological investigations aimed at determining the source of a Shigella infection outbreak. A multiplex real-time PCR-based assay was developed that targets all four species of Shigella plus enteroinvasive Escherichia coli. The assay incorporates primers directed to the ipaH genes located on both the virulence plasmid and chromosome, the plasmid-encoded virulence gene mxiC, a mutated mxiC gene (mxiC::kan) that differentiates wild-type strains from a laboratory control strain, and an internal amplification control. More than 50 isolates of all four Shigella species were tested for inclusivity and specificity of the multiplex PCR assay, and more than 30 non-Shigella isolates were tested for exclusivity of the assay. The sensitivity of the assay was 1 to 3 CFU and 5 to 50 fg of target (total) DNA for the ipaH, mxiC, and mxiC::kan gene targets. The assay performed equally well and with no measurable inhibition in the Shigella target reactions when rinsates of several high-risk produce commodities (parsley, cilantro, alfalfa sprouts, and lettuce) were added to the reactions. This multiplex PCR assay is sensitive and specific and has the added dimension of discriminating all Shigella species from the positive control strain so that in any sample analysis other strains can be excluded as a source of contamination.

Comparison of a Real-Time PCR Method with a Culture Method for the Detection of Salmonella enterica Serotype Enteritidis in Naturally Contaminated Environmental Samples from Integrated Poultry Houses

2012 ◽  
Vol 75 (4) ◽  
pp. 743-747 ◽  
Author(s):  
BWALYA LUNGU ◽  
W. DOUGLAS WALTMAN ◽  
ROY D. BERGHAUS ◽  
CHARLES L. HOFACRE
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Real Time Pcr ◽  
Salmonella Enteritidis ◽  
Culture Method ◽  
Pcr Assay ◽  
Culture Methods ◽  
The Real ◽  
Selective Enrichment ◽  
Conventional Culture ◽  
Field Samples

Conventional culture methods have traditionally been considered the “gold standard” for the isolation and identification of foodborne bacterial pathogens. However, culture methods are labor-intensive and time-consuming. A Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis–specific real-time PCR assay that recently received interim approval by the National Poultry Improvement Plan for the detection of Salmonella Enteritidis was evaluated against a culture method that had also received interim National Poultry Improvement Plan approval for the analysis of environmental samples from integrated poultry houses. The method was validated with 422 field samples collected by either the boot sock or drag swab method. The samples were cultured by selective enrichment in tetrathionate broth followed by transfer onto a modified semisolid Rappaport-Vassiliadis medium and then plating onto brilliant green with novobiocin and xylose lysine brilliant Tergitol 4 plates. One-milliliter aliquots of the selective enrichment broths from each sample were collected for DNA extraction by the commercial PrepSEQ nucleic acid extraction assay and analysis by the Salmonella Enteritidis–specific real-time PCR assay. The real-time PCR assay detected no significant differences between the boot sock and drag swab samples. In contrast, the culture method detected a significantly higher number of positive samples from boot socks. The diagnostic sensitivity of the real-time PCR assay for the field samples was significantly higher than that of the culture method. The kappa value obtained was 0.46, indicating moderate agreement between the real-time PCR assay and the culture method. In addition, the real-time PCR method had a turnaround time of 2 days compared with 4 to 8 days for the culture method. The higher sensitivity as well as the reduction in time and labor makes this real-time PCR assay an excellent alternative to conventional culture methods for diagnostic purposes, surveillance, and research studies to improve food safety.

A Real-Time PCR Assay for the Detection of Salmonella in a Wide Variety of Food and Food-Animal Matrices†

2007 ◽  
Vol 70 (5) ◽  
pp. 1080-1087 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. M. BOHAYCHUK ◽  
G. E. GENSLER ◽  
M. E. McFALL ◽  
R. K. KING ◽  
D. G. RENTER
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Real Time Pcr ◽  
Culture Method ◽  
Pcr Assay ◽  
Culture Methods ◽  
The Real ◽  
Conventional Culture ◽  
Food Animal ◽  
Highly Sensitive ◽  
Field Samples

Conventional culture methods have traditionally been considered the “gold standards” for the isolation and identification of foodborne pathogens. However, culture methods are labor-intensive and time-consuming. We have developed a real-time PCR assay for the detection of Salmonella in a variety of food and food-animal matrices. The real-time PCR assay incorporates both primers and hybridization probes based on the sequence of the Salmonella invA gene and uses fluorescent resonance energy transfer technology to ensure highly sensitive and specific results. This method correctly classified 51 laboratory isolates of Salmonella and 28 non-Salmonella strains. The method was also validated with a large number of field samples that consisted of porcine feces and cecal contents, pork carcasses, bovine feces and beef carcasses, poultry cecal contents and carcasses, equine feces, animal feeds, and various food products. The samples (3,388) were preenriched in buffered peptone water and then selectively enriched in tetrathionate and Rappaport-Vassiliadis broths. Aliquots of the selective enrichment broths were combined for DNA extraction and analysis by the real-time PCR assay. When compared with the culture method, the diagnostic sensitivity of the PCR assay for the various matrices ranged from 97.1 to 100.0%, and the diagnostic specificity ranged from 91.3 to 100.0%. Kappa values ranged from 0.87 to 1.00, indicating excellent agreement of the real-time PCR assay to the culture method. The reduction in time and labor makes this highly sensitive and specific real-time PCR assay an excellent alternative to conventional culture methods for surveillance and research studies to improve food safety.

scholarly journals Susceptibility of Maize Inbreds and Incidence of Symptomless Infection by the Head Smut Pathogen, Sphacelotheca reiliana

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. J. Anderson ◽  
H. E. Simmons ◽  
R. D. French-Monar ◽  
G. P. Munkvold
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Real Time Pcr ◽  
Field Trials ◽  
Growth Stages ◽  
High Susceptibility ◽  
Head Smut ◽  
Pcr Assay ◽  
Disease Symptoms ◽  
The Real ◽  
Seedling Infection

A real-time PCR assay was used to compare seedling infection by Sphacelotheca reiliana, the causal agent of head smut, among five inbred genotypes representing low, moderate, and high susceptibility to the disease. Seeds were coated with teliospores and planted in autoclaved field soil in a growth chamber. Incidence of seedling infection at growth stage V3 differed between an inbred genotype of low susceptibility and those of moderate and high susceptibility, but did not differ between the high and moderately susceptible groups (P < 0.05). The real-time PCR assay was also used to compare infection status at early and late vegetative stages with observable symptoms in the field. We detected infection via real-time PCR in maize at both growth stages during field trials conducted in Texas and California but observed no disease symptoms (smutted ears or tassels). Notably, the fungus was present in up to 31% of the ear shoots in plots without disease symptoms. The real-time assay can be a useful tool for screening seedling-stage host resistance, and for better understanding the progress of infection in different maize genotypes. The field data suggest that asymptomatic infection is much more common than previously thought, and may have important implications for the epidemiology of this fungus under diverse plant resistance and growing conditions. Accepted for publication 11 December 2015. Published 5 January 2016.

scholarly journals Performance and Verification of a Real-Time PCR Assay Targeting thegyrAGene for Prediction of Ciprofloxacin Resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae: TABLE 1

2016 ◽  
Vol 54 (3) ◽  
pp. 805-808 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Hemarajata ◽  
S. Yang ◽  
O. O. Soge ◽  
R. M. Humphries ◽  
J. D. Klausner
Keyword(s):  
Neisseria Gonorrhoeae ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Real Time Pcr ◽  
The United States ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Pcr Assay ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Agar Dilution ◽  
Ciprofloxacin Resistance ◽  
To Receive

In the United States, 19.2% ofNeisseria gonorrhoeaeisolates are resistant to ciprofloxacin. We evaluated a real-time PCR assay to predict ciprofloxacin susceptibility using residual DNA from the Roche Cobas 4800 CT/NG assay. The results of the assay were 100% concordant with agar dilution susceptibility test results for 100 clinical isolates. Among 76 clinical urine and swab specimens positive forN. gonorrhoeaeby the Cobas assay, 71% could be genotyped. The test took 1.5 h to perform, allowing the physician to receive results in time to make informed clinical decisions.

Detection and Enumeration of Salmonella Enteritidis in Homemade Ice Cream Associated with an Outbreak: Comparison of Conventional and Real-Time PCR Methods

2006 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 639-643 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. H. SEO ◽  
I. E. VALENTIN-BON ◽  
R. E. BRACKETT
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Quantitative Pcr ◽  
Real Time Pcr ◽  
Salmonella Enteritidis ◽  
Direct Detection ◽  
Ice Cream ◽  
Plate Count ◽  
Pcr Assay ◽  
The Real ◽  
Real Time Quantitative Pcr

Salmonellosis caused by Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) is a significant cause of foodborne illnesses in the United States. Consumption of undercooked eggs and egg-containing products has been the primary risk factor for the disease. The importance of the bacterial enumeration technique has been enormously stressed because of the quantitative risk analysis of SE in shell eggs. Traditional enumeration methods mainly depend on slow and tedious most-probable-number (MPN) methods. Therefore, specific, sensitive, and rapid methods for SE quantitation are needed to collect sufficient data for risk assessment and food safety policy development. We previously developed a real-time quantitative PCR assay for the direct detection and enumeration of SE and, in this study, applied it to naturally contaminated ice cream samples with and without enrichment. The detection limit of the real-time PCR assay was determined with artificially inoculated ice cream. When applied to the direct detection and quantification of SE in ice cream, the real-time PCR assay was as sensitive as the conventional plate count method in frequency of detection. However, populations of SE derived from real-time quantitative PCR were approximately 1 log higher than provided by MPN and CFU values obtained by conventional culture methods. The detection and enumeration of SE in naturally contaminated ice cream can be completed in 3 h by this real-time PCR method, whereas the cultural enrichment method requires 5 to 7 days. A commercial immunoassay for the specific detection of SE was also included in the study. The real-time PCR assay proved to be a valuable tool that may be useful to the food industry in monitoring its processes to improve product quality and safety.

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