scholarly journals Lyophilization Prior to Direct DNA Extraction from Bovine Feces Improves the Quantification of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Campylobacter jejuni

2009 ◽  
Vol 76 (5) ◽  
pp. 1686-1688 ◽  
Author(s):  
Delphine Rapp ◽  
John Waller ◽  
Gale Brightwell ◽  
Richard W. Muirhead

ABSTRACT Lyophilization was used to concentrate bovine feces prior to DNA extraction and analysis using real-time PCR. Lyophilization significantly improved the sensitivity of detection compared to that in fresh feces and was associated with reliable quantification of both Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Campylobacter jejuni bacteria present in feces at concentrations ranging between 2 log10 and 6 log10 CFU g− 1.

2004 ◽  
Vol 70 (3) ◽  
pp. 1855-1857 ◽  
Author(s):  
James L. Bono ◽  
James E. Keen ◽  
Laura C. Miller ◽  
James M. Fox ◽  
Carol G. Chitko-McKown ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT A commercially available real-time, rapid PCR test was evaluated for its ability to detect Escherichia coli O157. Both the sensitivity and specificity of the assay were 99% for isolates in pure culture. The assay detected 1 CFU of E. coli O157:H7 g−1 in artificially inoculated bovine feces following enrichment.


2006 ◽  
Vol 52 (5) ◽  
pp. 482-488 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebekka R.E Artz ◽  
Lisa M Avery ◽  
Davey L Jones ◽  
Ken Killham

The detection sensitivity and potential interference factors of a commonly used assay based on real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for Escherichia coli O157:H7 using eae gene-specific primers were assessed. Animal wastes and soil samples were spiked with known replicate quantities of a nontoxigenic strain of E. coli O157:H7 in a viable or dead state and as unprotected DNA. The detection sensitivity and accuracy of real-time PCR for E. coli O157:H7 in animal wastes and soil is low compared to enrichment culturing. Nonviable cells and unprotected DNA were shown to produce positive results in several of the environmental samples tested, leading to potential overestimates of cell numbers due to prolonged detection of nonviable cells. This demonstrates the necessity for the specific calibration of real-time PCR assays in environmental samples. The accuracy of the eae gene–based detection method was further evaluated over time in a soil system against an activity measurement, using the bioluminescent properties of an E. coli O157:H7 Tn5luxCDABE construct. The detection of significant numbers of viable but nonculturable (VBNC) as well as nonviable and possibly physically protected cells as shown over a period of 90 days further complicates the use of real-time PCR assays for quick diagnostics in environmental samples and infers that enrichment culturing is still required for the final verification of samples found positive by real-time PCR methods.Key words: Escherichia coli O157:H7, real-time PCR, animal waste, soil, VBNC.


2007 ◽  
Vol 70 (6) ◽  
pp. 1373-1378 ◽  
Author(s):  
ANNA-CLARA RÖNNER ◽  
HANS LINDMARK

Campylobacter jejuni infection is a significant cause of foodborne gastroenteritis worldwide. Consumption and handling of poultry products is believed to be the primary risk factor for campylobacteriosis. Risk assessments require quantitative data, and C. jejuni is enumerated usually by direct plating, which sometimes allows growth of non-Campylobacter bacteria. The objective of the present study was to develop a quantitative real-time PCR method (q-PCR) for enumerating C. jejuni in chicken rinse without a culturing step. The procedure to obtain the template for the PCR assay involved (i) filtration of 10 ml of chicken rinse, (ii) centrifugation of the sample, and (iii) total DNA extraction from the pellet obtained using a commercial DNA extraction kit. The detection limit of the method was comparable to that for plating 100 μl of chicken rinse on modified charcoal cefoperazone deoxycholate agar, and the detection limit could be further improved 10-fold by concentrating the DNA eluate by ethanol precipitation. A close correlation for spiked chicken rinse was obtained for the results of the quantitative real-time PCR method and direct plating (r = 0.99). The coefficient of correlation for the methods was 0.87 when samples from chicken carcasses on the slaughter line were analyzed, whereas a lower correlation (r = 0.76) was obtained when samples from retail carcasses were analyzed. Greater variation in the proportion of dead and/or viable but not culturable Campylobacter types in the retail samples may explain the decreased correlation between the methods. Overall, the new method is simple and fast and the results obtained are closely correlated with those for direct plating for samples containing a low proportion of dead Campylobacter cells.


2009 ◽  
Vol 34 ◽  
pp. S3
Author(s):  
L. Chui ◽  
T. Hinck ◽  
G. Wang ◽  
H. Tabor ◽  
M. Louie

2007 ◽  
Vol 70 (12) ◽  
pp. 2717-2724 ◽  
Author(s):  
SUNEE HIMATHONGKHAM ◽  
MARY LEE DODD ◽  
JENNY K. YEE ◽  
DAVID K. LAU ◽  
RAYMOND G. BRYANT ◽  
...  

The objective of this study was to develop a rapid, simple method for enhanced detection and isolation of low levels of Escherichia coli O157:H7 from leafy produce and surface water using recirculating immunomagnetic separation (RIMS) coupled with real-time PCR and a standard culture method. The optimal enrichment conditions for the method also were determined. Analysis of real-time PCR data (CT values) suggested that incubation of lettuce and spinach leaves rather than rinsates provides better enrichment of E. coli O157:H7. Enrichment of lettuce or spinach leaves at 42°C for 5 h provided better detection than enrichment at 37°C. Extended incubation of surface water for 20 h at 42°C did not improve the detection. The optimized enrichment conditions were also employed with modified Moore swabs, which were used to sample flowing water sites. Positive isolation rates and real-time PCR results indicated an increased recovery of E. coli O157:H7 from all samples following the application of RIMS. Under these conditions, the method provided detection and/or isolation of E. coli O157:H7 at levels as low as 0.07 CFU/g of lettuce, 0.1 CFU/g of spinach, 6 CFU/100 ml of surface water, and 9 CFU per modified Moore swab. During a 6-month field study, modified Moore swabs yielded high isolation rates when deployed in natural watershed sites. The method used in this study was effective for monitoring E. coli O157:H7 in the farm environment, during postharvest processing, and in foodborne outbreak investigations.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document