Successful approach for detection of low numbers of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli in minced meat by using the polymerase chain reaction

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used as a tool for the detection of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli in minced meat. With two synthetic 29-mer oligonucleotides, a 195-bp fragment from the E. coli heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) gene could be amplified specifically. When 6 CFU was added to the reaction mixture as a template, the PCR yielded sufficient amplified product for visualization on an agarose gel. Prior to PCR amplification, the minced meat samples were subjected to enrichment culturing for E. coli. From these cultures, 10 microliters was used in the PCR assay. All 20 25-g samples that were examined in this assay were negative for E. coli LT. However, when 3 CFU of E. coli LT was added to the 25-g samples of minced meat prior to enrichment culturing, the PCR assay yielded positive results.     

Successful approach for detection of low numbers of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli in minced meat by using the polymerase chain reaction.

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used as a tool for the detection of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli in minced meat. With two synthetic 29-mer oligonucleotides, a 195-bp fragment from the E. coli heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) gene could be amplified specifically. When 6 CFU was added to the reaction mixture as a template, the PCR yielded sufficient amplified product for visualization on an agarose gel. Prior to PCR amplification, the minced meat samples were subjected to enrichment culturing for E. coli. From these cultures, 10 microliters was used in the PCR assay. All 20 25-g samples that were examined in this assay were negative for E. coli LT. However, when 3 CFU of E. coli LT was added to the 25-g samples of minced meat prior to enrichment culturing, the PCR assay yielded positive results.     

Rapid and sensitive detection of Campylobacter spp. in chicken products by using the polymerase chain reaction.

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) after a short enrichment culture was used to detect Campylobacter spp. in chicken products. After the 16S rRNA gene sequence of Campylobacter jejuni was determined and compared with known sequences from other enterobacteria, a primer and probe combination was selected from the region before V3 and the variable regions V3 and V5. With this primer set and probe, 426-bp fragments from C. jejuni, Campylobacter coli, and Campylobacter lari could be amplified. The detection limit of the PCR was 12.5 CFU. Chicken samples inoculated with 25 CFU of Campylobacter spp. per g were PCR positive after an 18-h enrichment, which resulted in 500 CFU/ml of culture broth. This PCR-culture assay was compared with the conventional method on naturally infected chicken products. Both methods detected the same number of positive and negative samples; however, the results of the PCR-culture assay were available within 48 h.     

Rapid and sensitive detection of Campylobacter spp. in chicken products by using the polymerase chain reaction.

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) after a short enrichment culture was used to detect Campylobacter spp. in chicken products. After the 16S rRNA gene sequence of Campylobacter jejuni was determined and compared with known sequences from other enterobacteria, a primer and probe combination was selected from the region before V3 and the variable regions V3 and V5. With this primer set and probe, 426-bp fragments from C. jejuni, Campylobacter coli, and Campylobacter lari could be amplified. The detection limit of the PCR was 12.5 CFU. Chicken samples inoculated with 25 CFU of Campylobacter spp. per g were PCR positive after an 18-h enrichment, which resulted in 500 CFU/ml of culture broth. This PCR-culture assay was compared with the conventional method on naturally infected chicken products. Both methods detected the same number of positive and negative samples; however, the results of the PCR-culture assay were available within 48 h.     

Application of real-time PCR for quantitative detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus from seafood in eastern China

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is recognized as a leading human food-borne pathogen. A TaqMan PCR assay based on the gyrase B gene (gyrB) sequence of V. parahaemolyticus was developed for quantitative detection of V. parahaemolyticus in seafood. The study involving 27 V. parahaemolyticus and 10 strains of other species indicated that the real-time PCR test was highly specific. The sensitivity of the assay was approximately a single CFU per PCR in pure culture and six to eight CFU per PCR in spiked raw oyster, respectively. Real-time PCR values of artificially inoculated oyster homogenates correlated well with plate counts determined using culture methods. A total of 300 seafood samples were analyzed and 78 (26%) of these samples were positive for V. parahaemolyticus using a conventional culture method and 97 (32.3%) using the real-time PCR assay. All culture-positive samples were PCR-positive. However, 19 samples positive by PCR were culture-negative. The results show that retail seafood is commonly contaminated with V. parahaemolyticus in harvest season in eastern China. These data also indicate that real-time PCR can provide sensitive species-specific detection and quantification of V. parahaemolyticus in seafood without prior isolation and characterization of the bacteria by traditional microbiological methods.     

Application of polymerase chain reaction for detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus associated with tropical seafoods and coastal environment

AIMS: To study the incidence of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in seafoods, water and sediment by molecular techniques vs conventional microbiological methods. METHODS AND 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. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: 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.     

用基于TaqMan探针的Real-time PCR技术定量检测副溶血弧菌

副溶血弧菌是一种引起食源性疾病的重要病原菌,传统的鉴定方法费时费力且容易出现假阴性,建立一种定量检测副溶血弧菌基因的方法尤为重要。根据GenBank公布的副溶血弧菌的gyrB基因序列设计一对引物和TaqMan探针,建立了基于TaqMan探针的RealtimePCR方法。通过对9种细菌(12株菌株)的DNA进行扩增,结果所有4株副溶血弧菌均可产生扩增曲线,其他8株非副溶血弧菌均不产生扩增曲线,证明了引物和探针具有很高的特异性。细菌纯培养物品和人工布菌的检测敏感度分别为1CFUPCR反应体系和10CFUPCR反应体系,相关系数均为0.99(r2=0.99),整个试验可在1h内完成。建立的方法可用于海产品中副溶血弧菌的快速定量检测。     

A multipathogen selective enrichment broth for simultaneous growth of Salmonella spp., Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and Vibrio cholerae

A selective enrichment broth (SVV) was formulated to allow concurrent growth of Salmonella spp., V. parahaemolyticus, and V. cholerae. Potassium tellurite and sodium citrate were added as the inhibitors, while glucose, mannitol, anhydrous sodium sulfite and sodium pyruvate were employed as the growth-promoters. When mixed in equal or varied proportions, the target pathogens in SVV had a great accumulation (10(5)-10(8) CFU/ml) and effectively inhibited the growth of competitive microflora. In the artificially contaminated samples, a high recovery of these 3 target pathogens was obtained in SVV. Finally, Salmonella spp., V. parahaemolyticus, and V. cholerae were detected from 608 suspicious food samples by SVV with real-time PCR, and no false-positive or -negative results were reported. In summary, SVV has been shown to be a suitable broth for the simultaneous detection of the 3 pathogens by multipathogen detection on a single-assay platform.     

Characterization by PCR of Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolates collected during the 1997-1998 Chilean outbreak

Between November 1997 and April 1998, several human gastroenteritis cases were reported in Antofagasta, a city in the north of Chile. This outbreak was associated with the consumption of shellfish, and the etiologic agent responsible was identified as Vibrio parahaemolyticus. This was the first report of this bacterium causing an epidemic in Chile. V. parahaemolyticus was the only pathogenic bacterium isolated from patient stools and from shellfish samples. These isolates were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the pR72H gene, a species-specific sequence. Based on the pR72H gene amplification pattern, at least three different isolates of V. parahaemolyticus were found. Two isolates (named amplicons A and C) generated PCR products of approximately 400 bp and 340 bp respectively, while another type of isolate designated B, did not generate a PCR product, regardless of which method of DNA purification was used. Sequence analysis of the amplicons A and C shows that they have an 80 bp and 183 bp conserved region at the 5' end of the gene. However, both isolates have different sequences at their 3' terminus and are also different from the pR72H sequence originally reported. Using this PCR assay we demonstrated that these three isolates were found in clinical samples as well as in shellfish. The warm seawater caused by the climatological phenomena "El Ni?o" perhaps favored the geographic dispersion of the bacterium (bacterial bloom) occurring in Antofagasta that occurred during that time of year.     

Detection of small numbers of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli cells in environmental water, sewage, and food samples by a seminested PCR assay

A rapid and sensitive assay was developed for detection of small numbers of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli cells in environmental water, sewage, and food samples. Water and sewage samples were filtered, and the filters were enriched overnight in a nonselective medium. The enrichment cultures were prepared for PCR by a rapid and simple procedure consisting of centrifugation, proteinase K treatment, and boiling. A seminested PCR based on specific amplification of the intergenic sequence between the two Campylobacter flagellin genes, flaA and flaB, was performed, and the PCR products were visualized by agarose gel electrophoresis. The assay allowed us to detect 3 to 15 CFU of C. jejuni per 100 ml in water samples containing a background flora consisting of up to 8, 700 heterotrophic organisms per ml and 10,000 CFU of coliform bacteria per 100 ml. Dilution of the enriched cultures 1:10 with sterile broth prior to the PCR was sometimes necessary to obtain positive results. The assay was also conducted with food samples analyzed with or without overnight enrichment. As few as 相似文献   

Sensitive and specific detection of Listeria monocytogenes in milk and ground beef with the polymerase chain reaction.

A sensitive and specific method for detection of Listeria monocytogenes in milk and ground-beef samples is described. It consists of culturing samples in listeria enrichment broth (LEB) and subculturing them from LEB to listeria plating media, followed by DNA extraction and species-specific detection of the organism by using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In developing the L. monocytogenes PCR assay, five oligonucleotide primers complementary to the nucleotide sequence of the listeriolysin O gene were synthesized and used in amplification experiments. PCR products of the predicted size, based on nucleotide sequence information, were generated with DNA from all of 72 L. monocytogenes strains with five different primer pairs. DNA from Listeria ivanovii, Listeria innocua, Listeria seeligeri, Listeria welshimeri, Listeria grayi, and Listeia murrayi strains and a panel of 47 bacterial strains representing 17 genera did not generate PCR products with the primer pairs employed. As little as 1 pg of L. monocytogenes DNA could be detected with the assay. To determine the most sensitive culture protocol to use in conjunction with the PCR assay, milk (10 ml) and ground-beef (25 g) samples were inoculated with L. monocytogenes at concentrations ranging from 0 to 10(5) CFU ml-1 or g-1, as appropriate for the sample. PCR assays on DNA extracted from growth on listeria plating media, inoculated with 24-h LEB samples cultures, were most sensitive, allowing detection of as little as 0.1 CFU of L. monocytogenes ml-1 or g-1 of milk and ground beef, respectively.     

Sensitive and specific detection of Listeria monocytogenes in milk and ground beef with the polymerase chain reaction.

A sensitive and specific method for detection of Listeria monocytogenes in milk and ground-beef samples is described. It consists of culturing samples in listeria enrichment broth (LEB) and subculturing them from LEB to listeria plating media, followed by DNA extraction and species-specific detection of the organism by using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In developing the L. monocytogenes PCR assay, five oligonucleotide primers complementary to the nucleotide sequence of the listeriolysin O gene were synthesized and used in amplification experiments. PCR products of the predicted size, based on nucleotide sequence information, were generated with DNA from all of 72 L. monocytogenes strains with five different primer pairs. DNA from Listeria ivanovii, Listeria innocua, Listeria seeligeri, Listeria welshimeri, Listeria grayi, and Listeia murrayi strains and a panel of 47 bacterial strains representing 17 genera did not generate PCR products with the primer pairs employed. As little as 1 pg of L. monocytogenes DNA could be detected with the assay. To determine the most sensitive culture protocol to use in conjunction with the PCR assay, milk (10 ml) and ground-beef (25 g) samples were inoculated with L. monocytogenes at concentrations ranging from 0 to 10(5) CFU ml-1 or g-1, as appropriate for the sample. PCR assays on DNA extracted from growth on listeria plating media, inoculated with 24-h LEB samples cultures, were most sensitive, allowing detection of as little as 0.1 CFU of L. monocytogenes ml-1 or g-1 of milk and ground beef, respectively.     

Detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in shellfish by use of multiplexed real-time PCR with TaqMan fluorescent probes

We developed a multiplexed real-time PCR assay using four sets of gene-specific oligonucleotide primers and four TaqMan probes labeled with four different fluorophores in a single reaction for detection of total and pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus, including the pandemic O3:K6 serotype in oysters. V. parahaemolyticus has been associated with outbreaks of food-borne gastroenteritis caused by the consumption of raw or undercooked seafood and therefore is a concern to the seafood industry and consumers. We selected specific primers and probes targeting the thermostable direct hemolysin gene (tdh) and tdh-related hemolysin gene (trh) that have been reported to be associated with pathogenesis in this organism. In addition, we targeted open reading frame 8 of phage f237 (ORF8), which is associated with a newly emerged virulent pandemic serotype of V. parahameolyticus O3:K6. Total V. parahaemolyticus was targeted using the thermolabile hemolysin gene (tlh). The sensitivity of the combined four-locus multiplexed TaqMan PCR was found to be 200 pg of purified genomic DNA and 10(4) CFU per ml for pure cultures. Detection of an initial inoculum of 1 CFU V. parahaemolyticus per g of oyster tissue homogenate was possible after overnight enrichment, which resulted in a concentration of 3.3x10(9) CFU per ml. Use of this method with natural oysters resulted in 17/33 samples that were positive for tlh and 4/33 samples that were positive for tdh. This assay specifically and sensitively detected total and pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus and is expected to provide a rapid and reliable alternative to conventional detection methods by reducing the analysis time and obviating the need for multiple assays.     

Development of a multiplex real-time PCR assay with an internal amplification control for the detection of total and pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus bacteria in oysters

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is an estuarine bacterium that is the leading cause of shellfish-associated cases of bacterial gastroenteritis in the United States. Our laboratory developed a real-time multiplex PCR assay for the simultaneous detection of the thermolabile hemolysin (tlh), thermostable direct hemolysin (tdh), and thermostable-related hemolysin (trh) genes of V. parahaemolyticus. The tlh gene is a species-specific marker, while the tdh and trh genes are pathogenicity markers. An internal amplification control (IAC) was incorporated to ensure PCR integrity and eliminate false-negative reporting. The assay was tested for specificity against >150 strains representing eight bacterial species. Only V. parahaemolyticus strains possessing the appropriate target genes generated a fluorescent signal, except for a late tdh signal generated by three strains of V. hollisae. The multiplex assay detected <10 CFU/reaction of pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus in the presence of >10(4) CFU/reaction of total V. parahaemolyticus bacteria. The real-time PCR assay was utilized with a most-probable-number format, and its results were compared to standard V. parahaemolyticus isolation methodology during an environmental survey of Alaskan oysters. The IAC was occasionally inhibited by the oyster matrix, and this usually corresponded to negative results for V. parahaemolyticus targets. V. parahaemolyticus tlh, tdh, and trh were detected in 44, 44, and 52% of the oyster samples, respectively. V. parahaemolyticus was isolated from 33% of the samples, and tdh(+) and trh(+) strains were isolated from 19 and 26%, respectively. These results demonstrate the utility of the real-time PCR assay in environmental surveys and its possible application to outbreak investigations for the detection of total and pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus.     

添加有扩增内标的副溶血弧菌PCR检测方法

【目的】发掘副溶血弧菌特异性更强的检测靶点,并人工构建扩增内标,建立可以有效避免假阴性的新PCR检测体系。【方法】利用生物信息学方法,从副溶血弧菌(Vibrio parahaemolyticus)基因组DNA中发掘特异性很高的序列,并设计相应的特异性引物,人工构建扩增内标,建立PCR检测体系。【结果】本研究发掘得到的序列vp1332特异性很强,经检索,该序列是编码ABC转运子接合蛋白组分的基因片段,根据此序列设计一对特异检测引物(vp1332L/vp1332R),同时,构建了扩增内标,并建立了PCR检测体系。利用该体系对296株副溶血弧菌和33株非副溶血弧菌进行检测,结果显示,所有以副溶血弧菌为模板的PCR反应均可扩增到一条343bp的特异片段,而模板来源于非副溶血弧菌的则只能扩增到一条499bp的扩增内标片段。灵敏度实验表明,该PCR反应体系的检测灵敏度为1.6×102cfu/mL。人工污染实验表明,起始染菌量为1.24cfu/25g样品时经8h增菌,即可检测到副溶血弧菌。实际样品检测结果也证实该方法的有效性。【结论】本研究建立的PCR反应体系能特异地检测副溶血弧菌,并可有效地排除假阴性,提高检测准确率。     

Detection of pathogenic Vibrio spp. in shellfish by using multiplex PCR and DNA microarrays

This study describes the development of a gene-specific DNA microarray coupled with multiplex PCR for the comprehensive detection of pathogenic vibrios that are natural inhabitants of warm coastal waters and shellfish. Multiplex PCR with vvh and viuB for Vibrio vulnificus, with ompU, toxR, tcpI, and hlyA for V. cholerae, and with tlh, tdh, trh, and open reading frame 8 for V. parahaemolyticus helped to ensure that total and pathogenic strains, including subtypes of the three Vibrio spp., could be detected and discriminated. For DNA microarrays, oligonucleotide probes for these targeted genes were deposited onto epoxysilane-derivatized, 12-well, Teflon-masked slides by using a MicroGrid II arrayer. Amplified PCR products were hybridized to arrays at 50 degrees C and detected by using tyramide signal amplification with Alexa Fluor 546 fluorescent dye. Slides were imaged by using an arrayWoRx scanner. The detection sensitivity for pure cultures without enrichment was 10(2) to 10(3) CFU/ml, and the specificity was 100%. However, 5 h of sample enrichment followed by DNA extraction with Instagene matrix and multiplex PCR with microarray hybridization resulted in the detection of 1 CFU in 1 g of oyster tissue homogenate. Thus, enrichment of the bacterial pathogens permitted higher sensitivity in compliance with the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference guideline. Application of the DNA microarray methodology to natural oysters revealed the presence of V. vulnificus (100%) and V. parahaemolyticus (83%). However, V. cholerae was not detected in natural oysters. An assay involving a combination of multiplex PCR and DNA microarray hybridization would help to ensure rapid and accurate detection of pathogenic vibrios in shellfish, thereby improving the microbiological safety of shellfish for consumers.     

Improved fluorogenic assay for rapid detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in foods

An improved fluorogenic assay for the rapid detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus was developed. In the improved assay, the enrichment of V. parahaemolyticus was carried out in arabinose-glucuronate medium (0.5% arabinose, 0.25% glucuronate, 0.1% polypeptone, 0.1% yeast extract, 0.1% ammonium sulfate, 2% NaCl, 2 micrograms of polymyxin B sulfate per ml, pH 8.5) at 37 degrees C. After the cultivation, the trypsinlike activity of the bacteria was measured by fluorescence with the fluorogenic substrate benzoyl-L-arginine-7-aminomethylcoumarin. Even in the presence of 3 x 10(5) cells of Vibrio alginolyticus, 20 cells of V. parahaemolyticus were clearly detected after a 6-h enrichment cultivation by the assay. Fifty contaminated samples of 14 seafoods were examined for V. parahaemolyticus by the fluorogenic assay after enrichment cultivation for 6 or 8 h. The results were then compared with those obtained by the conventional bromothymol blue Teepol agar assay and the most-probable-number method. There was a linear relationship between trypsinlike activity measured by the assay and the number of V. parahaemolyticus cells in seafood as determined by the bromothymol blue Teepol agar and most-probable-number methods. Correlation coefficients were 0.95 and 0.93 after a 6-h cultivation and an 8-h cultivation, respectively. The presence of 10 cells of V. parahaemolyticus per gram of seafood sample was detected after a 10-h total detection time by the fluorogenic assay.     

Improved fluorogenic assay for rapid detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in foods.

An improved fluorogenic assay for the rapid detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus was developed. In the improved assay, the enrichment of V. parahaemolyticus was carried out in arabinose-glucuronate medium (0.5% arabinose, 0.25% glucuronate, 0.1% polypeptone, 0.1% yeast extract, 0.1% ammonium sulfate, 2% NaCl, 2 micrograms of polymyxin B sulfate per ml, pH 8.5) at 37 degrees C. After the cultivation, the trypsinlike activity of the bacteria was measured by fluorescence with the fluorogenic substrate benzoyl-L-arginine-7-aminomethylcoumarin. Even in the presence of 3 x 10(5) cells of Vibrio alginolyticus, 20 cells of V. parahaemolyticus were clearly detected after a 6-h enrichment cultivation by the assay. Fifty contaminated samples of 14 seafoods were examined for V. parahaemolyticus by the fluorogenic assay after enrichment cultivation for 6 or 8 h. The results were then compared with those obtained by the conventional bromothymol blue Teepol agar assay and the most-probable-number method. There was a linear relationship between trypsinlike activity measured by the assay and the number of V. parahaemolyticus cells in seafood as determined by the bromothymol blue Teepol agar and most-probable-number methods. Correlation coefficients were 0.95 and 0.93 after a 6-h cultivation and an 8-h cultivation, respectively. The presence of 10 cells of V. parahaemolyticus per gram of seafood sample was detected after a 10-h total detection time by the fluorogenic assay.     

A PCR-based assay for the detection of Escherichia coli Shiga-like toxin genes in ground beef.

A detection system based on the PCR has been developed for Escherichia coli strains which harbor the Shiga-like toxin genes. This quantitative detection system involves the 5'-->3' nuclease activity of Thermus aquaticus DNA polymerase, which cleaves an internal oligonucleotide probe that has been labeled with both a fluorescent reporter dye (6-carboxy-fluorescein [FAM]) and a quencher dye (6-carboxytetramethyl-rhodamine [TAMRA]). Parameters which affected the performance of the assay included primer probe distance, probe concentration, and probe target sequence homology. The optimized assay format includes two PCR primers that generate a 497-bp amplicon specific for the sltI gene with the fluorogenic probe located 19 bp from the upstream PCR primer. When the distance between the upstream PCR primer and the probe was reduced from 190 to 19 bp, delta RQ values increased from approximately 1.5 to 3.0. The delta RQ for Shiga-like toxin I probe 102 reached a maximum of 4.15 at concentrations between 25 and 50 nM. The assay is sensitive and can detect approximately 10 +/- 5 CFU per PCR. As few as 0.5 CFU of Shiga-like toxin I-producing E. coli per g could be detected in ground beef with only 12 h of enrichment in modified E. coli broth.     

A comparison of sensitivity between direct plate culture, immunomagnetic separation and polymerase chain reaction for the isolation of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157]

Sensitivities of direct plate culture (DPC) method, immunomagnetic separation (IMS) method, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for successful detection Escherichia coli O157 in the food samples were compared. Three lots of minced beef and three lots of radish sprout, both of which were commercially retailed, were enriched with non-selective broth media at 36 degrees C for 6 h. After enrichment, the cultures of the minced beef and those of the radish sprout were found to have background microflora at ca.10(5)-10(7) CFU/ml and ca.10(8) CFU/ml, respectively. The cultures were then experimentally inoculated with E. coli O157 strains at various final concentrations ranging from ca.10 to 10(7) CFU/ml. The samples thus prepared were subjected to the above three methods to evaluate their detection limits. For the samples of minced beef, the detection limits of the DPC method was 10(2) CFU/ml whilst that of the IMS method was ca.10 CFU/ml. For the samples of radish sprout, the detection limits of the DPC method, the IMS method, and the PCR assay were ca.10(4) CFU/ml, ca.10(2) CFU/ml, and ca.10(6) CFU/ml, respectively. There results strongly suggest that the IMS method is most sensitive method for the detection of O157 from food samples among the methods currently available.