Development of duplex PCR-ELISA for simultaneous detection of Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli O157: H7 in food

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In the current study, a duplex PCR-ELISA method was developed targeting the specific genes, invA of Salmonella spp. and rfbE of Escherichia coli O157: H7, to detect one or both bacteria in food. In brief, PCR product amplified by PCR primer labeled with digoxin at the 5′-end and a probe labeled with biotin at the 3′-end can form dimer by nucleic acid hybridization which can be captured by binding of biotin to streptomycin coated in ELISA plate before using enzyme-labeled anti-digoxin antibody and substrate to develop color. Also, evaluation of the duplex PCR-ELISA method was conducted in different food samples including milk, juice, cabbage, shrimp, chicken, pork and beef. Results indicated that the duplex PCR-ELISA developed here was specific when using 25 non-target bacteria strains as controls and was sensitive with a limit of detection (LOD) of 1 CFU/mL, 1, 000 times higher than that of the duplex PCR method and was repeatable regardless of inter- and intra-batch variations. The duplex PCR-ELISA method established in the present study has proven to be highly specific, sensitive and repeatable. It has the potential to be applied in such fields as clinical diagnosis of food-borne diseases, food hygiene monitoring and pathogen detection in food.