Novel Real-Time PCR Method To Detect Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Raw Milk Cheese and Raw Ground Meat

2012 ◽  
Vol 75 (8) ◽  
pp. 1373-1381 ◽  
Author(s):  
STÉPHANE D. MISZCZYCHA ◽  
SARAH GANET ◽  
LYSIANE DUNIERE ◽  
CHRISTINE ROZAND ◽  
ESTELLE LOUKIADIS ◽  
...  

Raw milk, raw milk cheeses, and raw ground meat have been implicated in Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreaks. Developing methods to detect these bacteria in raw milk and meat products is a major challenge for food safety. The aim of our study was to develop a real-time PCR assay to detect E. coli O157:H7 in raw milk cheeses and raw ground meat. Well-known primers targeting a mutation at position +93 of the uidA gene in E. coli O157:H7 were chosen, and a specific TaqMan–minor groove binder probe was designed. This probe targets another mutation, at position +191 of the uidA gene in E. coli O157:H7. The first step in the study was to evaluate the specificity of this probe with 156 different O157:H7/NM strains and 48 non-O157:H7/NM strains of E. coli. The sensitivity of the method was evaluated by pre- and postinoculation of cheeses and meat enrichments with different E. coli O157:H7 strains. All the E. coli O157:H7 isolates tested were positive, and none of the other bacteria were detected. Our results indicate that this method is sensitive enough to detect 102 E. coli O157:H7 isolates per ml of cheese or meat enrichment broth (24 h at 41.5°C) and is more sensitive than the International Organization for Standardization reference method. We can conclude that this new real-time PCR protocol is a useful tool for rapid, specific, and sensitive detection of E. coli O157:H7 in raw milk and raw ground meat products.

2015 ◽  
Vol 98 (5) ◽  
pp. 1301-1314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Cloke ◽  
Erin Crowley ◽  
Patrick Bird ◽  
Ben Bastin ◽  
Jonathan Flannery ◽  
...  

Abstract The Thermo Scientific™ SureTect™ Escherichia coli O157:H7 Assay is a new real-time PCR assay which has been validated through the AOAC Research Institute (RI) Performance Tested MethodsSM program for raw beef and produce matrixes. This validation study specifically validated the assay with 375 g 1:4 and 1:5 ratios of raw ground beef and raw beef trim in comparison to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety Inspection Service, Microbiology Laboratory Guidebook (USDS-FSIS/MLG) reference method and 25 g bagged spinach and fresh apple juice at a ratio of 1:10, in comparison to the reference method detailed in the International Organization for Standardization 16654:2001 reference method. For raw beef matrixes, the validation of both 1:4 and 1:5 allows user flexibility with the enrichment protocol, although which of these two ratios chosen by the laboratory should be based on specific test requirements. All matrixes were analyzed by Thermo Fisher Scientific, Microbiology Division, Vantaa, Finland, and Q Laboratories Inc, Cincinnati, Ohio, in the method developer study. Two of the matrixes (raw ground beef at both 1:4 and 1:5 ratios) and bagged spinach were additionally analyzed in the AOAC-RI controlled independent laboratory study, which was conducted by Marshfield Food Safety, Marshfield, Wisconsin. Using probability of detection statistical analysis, no significant difference was demonstrated by the SureTect kit in comparison to the USDA FSIS reference method for raw beef matrixes, or with the ISO reference method for matrixes of bagged spinach and apple juice. Inclusivity and exclusivity testing was conducted with 58 E. coli O157:H7 and 54 non-E. coli O157:H7 isolates, respectively, which demonstrated that the SureTect assay was able to detect all isolates of E. coli O157:H7 analyzed. In addition, all but one of the nontarget isolates were correctly interpreted as negative by the SureTect Software. The single isolate giving a positive result was an E. coli O157:NM isolate. Nonmotile isolates of E. coli O157 have been demonstrated to still contain the H7 gene; therefore, this result is not unexpected. Robustness testing was conducted to evaluate the performance of the SureTect assay with specific deviations to the assay protocol, which were outside the recommended parameters and which are open to variation. This study demonstrated that the SureTect assay gave reliable performance. A final study to verify the shelf life of the product, under accelerated conditions was also conducted.


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.


2020 ◽  
Vol 103 (1) ◽  
pp. 161-175
Author(s):  
Dane Brooks ◽  
Benjamin Bastin ◽  
Erin Crowley ◽  
James Agin ◽  
Mike Clark ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: The iQ-Check Real-Time PCR kits use PCR technology based on gene amplification and detection by a real-time PCR thermalcycler for the detection of target analytes in select food matrices. The iQ-Check E. coli O157:H7 [Performance Tested MethodSM (PTM) 020801] and STEC VirX and STEC SerO (combined PTM 121203) methods were previously validated for different matrices under different enrichment schemes. Objective: To modify the current iQ-Check E. coli O157:H7 Kit for the detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 from 25 to 375 g for raw ground beef (17% fat), raw beef trim, and fresh spinach. In addition, a matrix extension was validated for iQ-Check E. coli O157:H7 for raw chicken breast without skin (25 g), raw chicken thigh with skin (25 g), mechanically separated chicken (25 g), and raw ground pork (25 g). The study also included the modification of the iQ-Check STEC VirX and SerO Kits for the detection of non-O157 Shiga toxin–producing E. coli (STEC) for raw ground beef (375 g), raw beef trim (375 g), and fresh spinach (375 g) from STEC Enrichment Broth to buffered peptone water (BPW). All tests were carried out at 8–22 h (10–22 h for fresh spinach). Methods: Ground beef, beef trim, and spinach were co-inoculated with E. coli O157:H7, non-O157 STECs, and Salmonella spp. and analyzed for E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 STECs after an 8-22 h enrichment in BPW for the beef matrices and after a 10–22 h enrichment in BPW for spinach. The chicken matrices were inoculated with E. coli O157:H7 only and analyzed after an 8–22 h enrichment in BPW. The iQ-Check Free DNA Removal Solution workflow was utilized for all matrices. Confirmations at the 22 h time point and method comparisons were conducted with the appropriate reference method as outlined in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Bacteriological Analytical Manual Chapter 4A or the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service Microbiology Laboratory Guidebook Chapters 5.09 and 5B.05. For the iQ-Check STEC VirX and STEC SerO Kits, inclusivity and exclusivity were also performed. Results: The two inclusivity and exclusivity evaluations indicated that the test methods can accurately detect the target analytes and correctly excluded nontarget organisms after 8 h of enrichment. In the method comparison study, the iQ-Check E. coli O157:H7 and STEC VirX and STEC SerO test kits demonstrated no statistically significant differences between candidate and reference method results or between presumptive and confirmed results for all food matrices analyzed and the two time points (8 or 10 and 22 h). Both time points produced the same results, with no discrepancies. Conclusions: The iQ-Check real-time PCR kits are effective methods for the detection of E. coli O157 and non-O157 STECs (both the virulence factors and the O groups) from raw ground beef, raw beef trim, and fresh spinach in 375 g samples enriched in BPW for 8–22 h (10–22 h for fresh spinach). In addition, the iQ-Check E. coli O157 Kit is effective in detecting E. coli O157 in 25 g samples of raw chicken breast without skin, raw chicken thigh with skin, mechanically separated chicken, and raw ground pork. The iQ-Check test kits allow the end user to pair enrichments for multiple target analytes, allowing the user to prepare a single enrichment and perform a single DNA extraction. The Free DNA Removal Solution removes free DNA from samples prior to PCR analysis, protecting DNA from intact and living cells. Highlights: The method modifications were granted based on the data collected.


2011 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. SAVOYE ◽  
P. FENG ◽  
C. ROZAND ◽  
M. BOUVIER ◽  
A. GLEIZAL ◽  
...  

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 is an important pathogen associated with infections caused by consumption of undercooked raw meat. Sensitive and rapid detection methods for E. coli O157:H7 are essential for the meat industry to ensure a safe meat supply. This study was conducted to compare the sensitivity of the VIDAS ultraperformance E. coli test (ECPT UP) with a noncommercial real-time (RT) PCR method and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) reference method for detecting E. coli O157:H7 in raw ground beef. Optimal enrichment times and the efficacy of testing different types of raw meat, either as individual samples (25 g) or as composites (375 g), were examined. For 25-g samples of each type of raw ground beef tested, 6 h of enrichment was sufficient for both the VIDAS ECPT UP and RT-PCR methods, but for 375-g samples, 24 h of enrichment was required. Both the VIDAS ECPT UP and RT-PCR methods produced results similar to those obtained with the USDA-FSIS reference method after 18 to 24 h of enrichment. The primer specificity of the RT-PCR assay and the highly specific phage ligand used in the VIDAS ECPT UP for target recognition enabled the detection of low levels of E. coli O157:H7 in 25 g of various types of raw ground beef. The tests also allowed the detection of E. coli O157:H7 in composite raw ground beef and trimmings in samples of up to 375 g.


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.


Meat Science ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 96 (2) ◽  
pp. 964-970 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rubén Gordillo ◽  
Alicia Rodríguez ◽  
María L. Werning ◽  
Elena Bermúdez ◽  
Mar Rodríguez

2004 ◽  
Vol 50 (12) ◽  
pp. 1007-1014 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Mark Ibekwe ◽  
Pamela M Watt ◽  
Peter J Shouse ◽  
Catherine M Grieve

One of the most common vehicles by which Escherichia coli O157:H7 may be introduced into crops is contaminated irrigation water. Water contamination is becoming more common in rural areas of the United States as a result of large animal operations, and up to 40% of tested drinking-water wells are contaminated with E. coli. In this study, 2 contrasting soil samples were inoculated with E. coli O157:H7 expressing green fluorescent protein through irrigation water. Real-time PCR and culture methods were used to quantify the fate of this pathogen in phyllosphere (leaf surface), rhizosphere (volume of soil tightly held by plant roots), and non-rhizosphere soils. A real-time PCR assay was designed with the eae gene of E. coli O157:H7. The probe was incorporated into real-time PCR containing DNA extracted from the phyllosphere, rhizosphere, and non-rhizosphere soils. The detection limit for E. coli O157:H7 quantification by real-time PCR was 1.2 × 103in the rhizosphere, phyllosphere, and non-rhizosphere samples. E. coli O157:H7 concentrations were higher in the rhizosphere than in the non-rhizosphere soils and leaf surfaces, and persisted longer in clay soil. The persistence of E. coli O157:H7 in phyllosphere, rhizosphere, and non-rhizosphere soils over 45 days may play a significant part in the recontamination cycle of produce in the environment. Therefore, the rapidity of the real-time PCR assay may be a useful tool for quantification and monitoring of E. coli O157:H7 in irrigation water and on contaminated fresh produce.Key words: real-time PCR, Escherichia coli O157:H7, irrigation, survival, quantification.


2007 ◽  
Vol 70 (6) ◽  
pp. 1366-1372 ◽  
Author(s):  
LUXIN WANG ◽  
YONG LI ◽  
AZLIN MUSTAPHA

The objective of this study was to establish a multiplex real-time PCR for the simultaneous quantitation of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and Shigella. Genomic DNA for the real-time PCR was extracted by the boiling method. Three sets of primers and corresponding TaqMan probes were designed to target these three pathogenic bacteria. Multiplex real-time PCR was performed with TaqMan Universal PCR Master Mix in an ABI Prism 7700 Sequence Detection System. Final standard curves were calculated for each pathogen by plotting the threshold cycle value against the bacterial number (log CFU per milliliter) via linear regression. With optimized conditions, the quantitative detection range of the real-time multiplex PCR for pure cultures was 102 to 109 CFU/ml for E. coli O157:H7, 103 to 109 CFU/ml for Salmonella, and 101 to 108 CFU/ml for Shigella. When the established multiplex real-time PCR system was applied to artificially contaminated ground beef, the detection limit was 105 CFU/g for E. coli O157:H7, 103 CFU/g for Salmonella, and 104 CFU/g for Shigella. Immunomagnetic separation (IMS) was further used to separate E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella from the beef samples. With the additional use of IMS, the detection limit was 103 CFU/g for both pathogens. Results from this study showed that TaqMan real-time PCR, combined with IMS, is potentially an effective method for the rapid and reliable quantitation of E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and Shigella in food.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document