title: Rapid identification and differentiation of agricultural faecal contamination sources using multiplex PCR.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop a quick, easy-to-use, robust and sensitive multiplex PCR assay to detect common sources of agricultural faecal contamination using a combination of bacterial and eukaryote-specific PCR targets.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A novel multiplex PCR method was developed that utilizes primers specific for a conserved region of the eukaryote cytochrome-B gene as well as a universal 16S rRNA and the E. coli-specific uidA gene. This multiplex PCR assay was capable of identifying faecal amendments from pig, sheep, cow and goat sources in 24/30 (80%) of amended water samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The method was capable of accurately identifying common agricultural sources.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The procedure described here is simple, rapid (<5 h) and can be used as a first step in microbial source tracking studies, particularly where agricultural faecal contamination is suspected.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Weymouth Laboratory, Weymouth, Dorset, UK. craig.baker-austin@cefas.co.uk
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baker-Austin
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Lowther
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rangdale
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Lees
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D045303:Cytochromes b / Q000235:genetics; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D045303:Cytochromes b