Rapid and simultaneous detection of Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli O157, and Listeria monocytogenes by magnetic capture hybridization and multiplex real-time PCR

Metal and metal oxide nanoparticle-assisted molecular assays for the detection of Salmonella

This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the diverse applications and innovations of nanoparticles in the detection of Salmonella. It encompasses a comprehensive range of novel methods, including efficient enrichment, nucleic acid extraction, immunoassays, nucleic acid tests, biosensors, and emerging strategies with the potential for future applications. The surface modification of specific antibodies or ligands enables nanoparticles to achieve highly selective capture of Salmonella, while optimizing the nucleic acid extraction process and improving detection efficiency. The employment of nanoparticles in immunological and nucleic acid tests markedly enhances the specificity and sensitivity of the reaction, thereby optimizing the determination of detection results. Moreover, the distinctive physicochemical properties of nanoparticles enhance the sensitivity, selectivity, and stability of biosensors, thereby facilitating the rapid advancement of bio-detection technologies. It is particularly noteworthy that there has been significant advancement in the application and innovative research of nanozymes in molecular assays. This progress has not only resulted in enhanced detection efficiency but has also facilitated innovation and improvement in detection technologies. As nanotechnologies continue to advance, the use of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles in Salmonella detection is likely to become a more promising and reliable strategy for ensuring food safety and public health.

Recent advances in metallic and metal oxide nanoparticle-assisted molecular methods for the detection of Escherichia coli

The detection of E. coli is of irreplaceable importance for the maintenance of public health and food safety. In the field of molecular detection, metal and metal oxide nanoparticles have demonstrated significant advantages due to their unique physicochemical properties, and their application in E. coli detection has become a cutting-edge focus of scientific research. This review systematically introduces the innovative applications of these nanoparticles in E. coli detection, including the use of magnetic nanoparticles for efficient enrichment of bacteria and precise purification of nucleic acids, as well as a variety of nanoparticle-assisted immunoassays such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, lateral flow immunoassays, colorimetric methods, and fluorescence strategies. In addition, this paper addresses the application of nanoparticles used in nucleic acid tests, including amplification-free and amplification-based assays. Furthermore, the application of nanoparticles used in electrochemical and optical biosensors in E. coli detection is described, as well as other innovative assays. The advantages and challenges of the aforementioned technologies are subjected to rigorous analysis, and a prospective outlook on the future direction of development is presented. In conclusion, this review not only illustrates the practical utility and extensive potential of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles in E. coli detection, but also serves as a scientific and comprehensive reference for molecular diagnostics in food safety and public health.

Development of multiplex PCR panel for detection of anaerobic bacteria in clinical samples

OBJECTIVE

Although anaerobic bacteria are important agents of a wide variety of serious infections, they are overlooked often in the etiology of infection due to difficulties in isolation and detection. The aim of this study was to develop a new multiplex PCR panel that could detect Bacteroides, Fusobacterium, Prevotella, Veillonella, Clostridium, Peptostreptococcus, and Actinomyces bacteria, which are the most frequently isolated from anaerobic infections, at the genus level.

METHOD

Aerobic and anaerobic cultures were performed on 46 clinical specimens, with suspicion of anaerobic infection and were sent to the laboratory. DNA isolation was performed with the same samples and anaerobic bacteria were detected by the multiplex PCR test developed in the study.

RESULT

The analytical sensitivity of the multiplex PCR assay was found to be 1-10³ CFU/ml, depending on the bacterial species. In this study, anaerobic growth was observed in eight (17.4%) of 46 clinical samples. The multiplex PCR test detected 35 anaerobic bacteria from 20 (43.5%) of 46 clinical samples. The most common anaerobes isolated from clinical specimens by the multiplex PCR assay were Prevotella spp. (37.1%) and Fusobacterium spp. (22.9%) while Clostridium spp. (14.3%), Peptostreptococcus spp. (11.4%), Bacteroides spp. (8.6%), and Veillonella spp. (5.7%) followed these genera.

CONCLUSION

As a result, it was concluded that the multiplex PCR panel developed in this study eliminates problems in the detection of anaerobes based on culture, provides more accurate detection of anaerobic bacteria from clinical specimens, takes a shorter time, and allows more accurate infection treatment.

Detection and Virulence Characterization of Listeria monocytogenes Strains in Ready-to-Eat Products

The public health risk posed by Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat (RTE) foods depends on the effectiveness of its control at every stage of the production process and the strain involved. Analytical methods currently in use are limited to the identification/quantification of L. monocytogenes at the species level, without distinguishing virulent from hypovirulent strains. In these products, according to EU Regulation 2073/2005, L. monocytogenes is a mandatory criterion irrespective of strain virulence level. Indeed, this species encompasses a diversity of strains with various pathogenic potential, reflecting genetic heterogeneity of the species itself. Thus, the detection of specific L. monocytogenes virulence genes can be considered an important target in laboratory food analysis to assign different risk levels to foods contaminated by strains carrying different genes. In 2015-2016, a severe invasive listeriosis outbreak occurred in central Italy, leading to the intensification of routine surveillance and strain characterization for virulence genetic markers. A new multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction targeting main virulence genes has been developed and validated against the enzyme-linked fluorescent assay (ELFA) culture-based method. Results of the improved surveillance program are now reported in this study.

Biotin exposure-based immunomagnetic separation coupled with sodium dodecyl sulfate, propidium monoazide, and multiplex real-time PCR for rapid detection of viable Salmonella Typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes in milk

In this study, we established a rapid and sensitive method for the detection of viable Salmonella Typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes in milk using biotin-exposure-based immunomagnetic separation (IMS) combined with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), propidium monoazide (PMA), and multiplex real-time PCR (mRT-PCR). We used IMS to lessen the assay time for isolation of target bacteria. We then optimized the coupling conditions and immunomagnetic capture process. The immunoreaction and incubation times for 5 μg of mAb coupled with 500 μg of streptavidin-functionalized magnetic beads using a streptavidin-biotin system were 90 and 30 min, respectively. Treatment with SDS-PMA before mRT-PCR amplification eliminated false-positive outcomes from dead bacteria and identified viable target bacteria with good sensitivity and specificity. The limit of detection of IMS combined with the SDS-PMA-mRT-PCR assay for the detection of viable Salmonella Typhimurium, Staph. aureus, and L. monocytogenes in spiked milk matrix samples was 10 cfu/mL and remained significant even in the appearance of 10⁶ cfu/mL of nontarget bacteria. The entire detection process was able to identify viable bacteria within 9 h. The combination of biotin-exposure-mediated IMS and SDS-PMA-mRT-PCR has potential value for the rapid and sensitive detection of foodborne pathogens.

Immunomagnetic separation and Listeriamonocytogenes detection with surface-enhanced Raman scattering

Background/aim

We aimed to develop a rapid method to enumerate Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) utilizing magnetic nanoparticle based preconcentration and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy measurements.

Materials and methods

Biological activities of magnetic Au-nanoparticles have been observed to have the high biocompatibility, and a sample immunosensor model has been designed to use avidin attached Au-nanoparticles for L. monocytogenes detection. Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Salmonella typhimurium (S. typhimurium) bacteria cultures were chosen for control studies. Antimicrobial activity studies have been done to identify bio-compatibility and bio-characterization of the Au-nanoparticles in our previous study and capturing efficiencies to bacterial surfaces have been also investigated.

Results

We constructed the calibration graphs in various population density of L. monocytogenes as 2.2 × 101 to 2.2 × 106 cfu/mL and the capture efficiency was found to be 75%. After the optimization procedures, population density of L. monocytogenes and Raman signal intensity showed a good linear correlation (R2 = 0.991) between 102 to 106 cfu/mL L. monocytogenes. The presented sandwich assay provides low detection limits and limit of quantification as 12 cfu/mL and 37 cfu/mL, respectively. We also compared the experimental results with reference plate-counting methods and the practical utility of the proposed assay is demonstrated using milk samples.

Conclusion

It is focused on the enumeration of L. monocytogenes in milk samples and the comparision of results of milk analysis obtained by the proposed SERS method and by plate counting method stay in food agreement. In the present study, all parameters were optimized to select SERS-based immunoassay method for L. monocytogenes bacteria to ensure LOD, selectivity, precision and repeatablity.

Application of magnetic nanoparticles in nucleic acid detection

Nucleic acid is the main material for storing, copying, and transmitting genetic information. Gene sequencing is of great significance in DNA damage research, gene therapy, mutation analysis, bacterial infection, drug development, and clinical diagnosis. Gene detection has a wide range of applications, such as environmental, biomedical, pharmaceutical, agriculture and forensic medicine to name a few. Compared with Sanger sequencing, high-throughput sequencing technology has the advantages of larger output, high resolution, and low cost which greatly promotes the application of sequencing technology in life science research. Magnetic nanoparticles, as an important part of nanomaterials, have been widely used in various applications because of their good dispersion, high surface area, low cost, easy separation in buffer systems and signal detection. Based on the above, the application of magnetic nanoparticles in nucleic acid detection was reviewed.

Multicolor and Ultrasensitive Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay Based on the Fluorescence Hybrid Chain Reaction for Simultaneous Detection of Pathogens

Various pathogens may coexist in one sample; however, detection methods that rely on traditional selective culture media or immune agents designed specifically for a certain target are unsuitable for multiple targets. It is important to develop a simultaneous and sensitive detection method for multiple pathogens. Here, a multicolor and ultrasensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) platform based on the fluorescence hybridization chain reaction (HCR) was developed. In the assay, multicolor fluorescence concatemers formed as signal amplifiers and signal reporters in the presence of target pathogens. When HCR occurred, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella serotype Choleraesuis, and Listeria monocytogenes were detected simultaneously with three different fluorescences. Additionally, the limits of detection for E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella Choleraesuis, and L. monocytogenes were 3.4 × 10¹, 6.4 × 10⁰, and 7.0 × 10¹ CFU/mL, respectively. The assay achieved ultrasensitive, specific, and simultaneous detection of three pathogens and can be applied to the detection of pathogens in milk samples. Therefore, this multicolor and ultrasensitive ELISA platform has great potential in the application of simultaneous detection of pathogens.

Optimization of an efficient solid-phase enrichment medium for Salmonella detection using response surface methodology

Salmonella is a pathogenic bacterium contributing to food poisoning and acute infectious intestinal disease. The traditional standard detection method is based on the principle of liquid phase enrichment and has a low sensitivity on targeted bacteria. We previously developed a visual immunosensor technique for efficient detection and isolation of Salmonella by applying fluorescent nanobioprobes on a specially-designed cellulose-based swab. In this study, a whole-sample solid-phase enrichment assay (WSEA) was established by optimization of the enrichment medium using response surface methodology (RSM), a powerful statistical tool for regression analysis. The optimal formula was determined as: 0.60% polyvalent poly peptone, 0.40% buffered peptone water, 0.09% ferric citrate amine, 0.24% sodium hyposulfite, 0.035% cystine, 0.01 µg mL⁻¹ super absorbing polymer, 0.011% sodium deoxycholate, 15.00 µg mL⁻¹ ethyl green and 30.00 µg mL⁻¹ sodium selenite. Using this formula, Salmonella was visualized with naked eyes by relying on the indication of black spots formed on the swab. The analytic sensitivity of the assay was determined as 10¹ cells mL⁻¹ with a concentration of interfering bacteria (Escherichia coli) at 10⁵ cells mL⁻¹. This optimized formula was confirmed with 4006 patients’ fecal samples, in which the positive rate was 0.42% by the conventional culture-based method and 2.12% by WSEA. The optimized formulation on solid phase enrichment by RSM allows relatively quick, low-cost, and large-scale detection of Salmonella, and could be used in grassroots medical institutions.

Detection of 12 Common Food-Borne Bacterial Pathogens by TaqMan Real-Time PCR Using a Single Set of Reaction Conditions

Food safety has become an important public health issue worldwide. However, conventional methods for detection of food-borne pathogens are complicated, and labor-intensive. Moreover, the sensitivity is often low, and it is difficult to achieve high-throughput detection. This study developed a TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for the simultaneous detection and quantification of 12 common pathogens in a single reaction, including Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes/ivanovii, Salmonella enterica, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, β-streptococcus hemolyticus, Yersinia enterocolitica, Enterococcus faecalis, Shigella spp., Proteus mirabilis, Vibrio fluvialis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Campylobacter jejuni in food and drinking water. Based on published sequence data, specific primers, and fluorescently-labeled hybridization probes were designed targeting based on the virulence genes of the 12 pathogens, and these primers and probes were optimized to achieve consistent reaction conditions. The assay was evaluated using 106 pure bacterial culture strains. There was no cross-reaction among the different pathogens. The analytical sensitivity was 1 copy/μL for E. coli O157:H7, L. monocytogenes/ivanovii, β-streptococcus hemolyticus, Shigella spp., P. mirabilis, and V. fluvialis, 10 copies/μL for S. enterica, V. parahaemolyticus, Y. enterocolitica, E. faecalis, S. aureus, and C. jejuni, respectively. The limit of detection (LOD) was 296, 500, 177, 56, 960, 830, 625, 520, 573, 161, 875, and 495 CFU/mL for E. coli O157:H7, L. monocytogenes/ivanovii, S. enterica, V. parahaemolyticus, β-streptococcus hemolyticus, Y. enterocolitica, E. faecalis, Shigella spp., P. mirabilis, V. fluvialis, S. aureus, and C. jejuni, respectively. The limit of detection for the assay in meat samples was 10³ CFU/g for V. parahaemolyticus and 10⁴ CFU/g for other 11 strains. Together, these results indicate that the optimized TaqMan real-time PCR assay will be useful for routine detection of pathogenic bacteria due to its rapid analysis, low cost, high-throughput, high specificity, and sensitivity.