The detection and determination of potential virulence of Salmonella spp. using PCR method

The aim of this study was to prove that PCR is a very useful method to identify Salmonella strains and to determine their virulence factors by amplification of characteristic genetic markers. Investigations included 5 strains of Salmonella which were obtained from pure cultures and 1 Salmonella strain from the mixed culture. Genotypie analysis of 6 examined strains revealed the 163-bp fragment of chromosomal DNA, which is the DNA rep. ori. gene, encoding the particular genus. In all of these strains 215-bp, 203-bp and 204-bp chromosomal DNA fragments were identified as representing the stn, stpA and spaO genes that confirmed their virulence. These amplification products were identified in both pure and mixed culture from pork. Sensitive and rapid PCR method may be used not only for identification of Salmonella strains and for determination of their virulence factors but also for routine microbiological diagnostic of food pathogens.