Development of a multiplex PCR for the identification of Staphylococcus genus and four staphylococcal species isolated from food.
OBJECTIVE
To develop a multiplex PCR that allows the identification of bacteria belonging to the Staphylococcus genus and in particular to the species Staphylococcus xylosus, S. saprophyticus, S. epidermidis and S. aureus isolated from food manufacturing plants.


RESULTS
Five primer pairs were used in the multiplex PCR, one specific to the Staphylococcus genus and four specific to S. xylosus, S. saprophyticus, S. epidermidis and S. aureus species. All the 31 Staphylococcus reference strains yielded a specific PCR product with the genus-specific primers. Staphylococcus xylosus, S. saprophyticus, S. epidermidis and S. aureus gave a specific PCR fragment with the corresponding species-specific primers. No amplification with the Kocuria, Macrococcus and Micrococcus strains was observed in our conditions. This multiplex PCR was performed on 30 strains of Gram-positive cocci isolated from different workshops and fermented sausages. Among them, 28 belonged to the Staphylococcus genus and 14 were identified to S. saprophyticus, four to S. xylosus, two to S. aureus and one to S. epidermidis.


CONCLUSIONS
This multiplex PCR provided reliable and repeatable PCR results. It allowed the identification of a major part of the isolates, highlighting the predominance of the S. saprophyticus species in the workshops studied.


CONCLUSIONS
This tool is a useful way to screen the strains isolated from foodstuff and food environment and to monitor these species during the food processing.
Station de Recherches sur la Viande, INRA, Centre Clermont-ferrand-Theix, Saint-Genès Champanelle, France.
S Corbiere
SC
Morot-Bizot
R
R
Talon
S
S
Leroy
D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D019649:Food Industry; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007218:Industrial Microbiology / Q000379:methods; D008461:Meat Products / Q000382:microbiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification
D004269:DNA, Bacterial