Application of polymerase chain reaction for detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus associated with tropical seafoods and coastal environment.
OBJECTIVE
To study the incidence of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in seafoods, water and sediment by molecular techniques vs conventional microbiological methods.


RESULTS
Of 86 samples analysed, 28 recorded positive for V. parahaemolyticus by conventional microbiological method, while 53 were positive by the toxR-targeted PCR, performed directly on enrichment broth lysates. While one sample of molluscan shellfish was positive for tdh gene, trh gene was detected in three enrichment broths of molluscan shellfish.


CONCLUSIONS
Direct application of PCR to enrichment broths will be useful for the rapid and sensitive detection of potentially pathogenic strains of V. parahemolyticus in seafoods.


CONCLUSIONS
Vibrio parahaemolyticus is an important human pathogen responsible for food-borne gastroenteritis world-wide. As, both pathogenic and non-pathogenic strains of V. parahaemolyticus exist in the seafood, application of PCR specific for the virulence genes (tdh & trh) will help in detection of pathogenic strains of V. parahaemolyticus and consequently reduce the risk of food-borne illness.
Dileep
V
V
Department of Fishery Microbiology, University of Agricultural Sciences, College of Fisheries, Mangalore-575002, India.
Kumar
H S
HS
Kumar
Y
Y
Nishibuchi
M
M
Karunasagar
Indrani
I
Karunasagar
Iddya
I
D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D003386:Brachyura / Q000382:microbiology*; D003470:Culture Media; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D005399:Fishes / Q000382:microbiology*; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008974:Mollusca / Q000382:microbiology*; D033561:Penaeidae / Q000382:microbiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D017747:Seafood / Q000382:microbiology*; D012623:Seawater / Q000382:microbiology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics; D014736:Vibrio parahaemolyticus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D003470:Culture Media; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C088609:thermostable direct hemolysin-related hemolysin protein, Vibrio parahaemolyticus; C066719:toxR protein, bacteria; C068489:thermostable direct hemolysin