Real-time fluorescence PCR assays for detection and characterization of Shiga toxin, intimin, and enterohemolysin genes from Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli.

ABSTRACT: PCR assays have proved useful for detecting and characterizing Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC). Recent advances in PCR technology have facilitated the development of real-time fluorescence PCR assays with greatly reduced amplification times and improved methods for the detection of amplified target sequences. We developed and evaluated two such assays for the LightCycler instrument: one that simultaneously detects the genes for Shiga toxins 1 and 2 (stx(1) and stx(2)) and another that simultaneously detects the genes for intimin (eae) and enterohemolysin (E-hly). Amplification and sequence-specific detection of the two target genes were completed within 60 min. Findings from the testing of 431 STEC isolates of human and animal origin, 73 isolates of E. coli negative for stx g

SUBMITTER: Reischl U 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC120605 | biostudies-literature | 2002 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature