title: A combined PCR and selective enrichment method for rapid detection of Listeria monocytogenes.
abstract: Development of a routine detection assay for Listeria monocytogenes in foods that uses the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and enrichment cultures was investigated. Oligonucleotide primers were chosen to amplify a 3' region of L. monocytogenes hlyA gene spanning a conserved HindIII site. PCR detection sensitivity for L. monocytogenes in dilutions of pure enrichment cultures was between 50 and 500 colony forming units. A short enrichment period before PCR amplification allowed detection of the organisms in a range of complex foods contaminated with 10(4) cfu/g. Detection sensitivity for the assay in the presence of chicken skin and soft cheese was determined at 10-100 cfu/g. Utilization of enrichment cultures and PCR allowed identification of the organism within 24 h or 2 days.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Adelaide, Australia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fitter
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heuzenroeder
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D001483:Base Sequence; D002611:Cheese / Q000382:microbiology; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011202:Poultry Products / Q000382:microbiology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial