title: Polymerase chain reaction for the rapid identification of Clostridium botulinum type A strains and detection in food samples.
abstract: A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was developed for the detection of Clostridium botulinum type A, a cause of human botulism. A two primer set and an oligonucleotide detection probe were used to specifically detect Cl. botulinum type A neurotoxin gene (BoNT/A). After 40 cycles of amplification, detection of a 798 bp amplified DNA fragment was carried out by agarose gel electrophoresis and Southern blot hybridization. This assay was able to detect 12.5 fg of purified target DNA or five bacteria per reaction. The sensitivity in artificially contaminated food samples after an 18 h enrichment step ranges from 10 to 10(3) bacteria per g according to the type of food samples. No cross-reactions were observed with the other Cl. botulinum toxinotypes and other bacteria found routinely in food. This PCR method may provide a suitable and rapid alternative to standard techniques for detection of Cl. botulinum type A in food samples.
authors.affiliation: Centre National d'Etudes Vétèrinaires et Alimentaires/Laboratoire Central d'Hygiène Alimentaire, Paris, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fach
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hauser
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Guillou
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Popoff
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001483:Base Sequence; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D001905:Botulinum Toxins / Q000235:genetics*; D001906:Botulism / Q000517:prevention & control; D002417:Cattle / Q000382:microbiology; D003014:Clostridium botulinum / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D005504:Food Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005519:Food Preservation; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013045:Species Specificity; D013552:Swine / Q000382:microbiology; D014675:Vegetables / Q000382:microbiology; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014876:Water Pollution / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D001905:Botulinum Toxins