Assessment of a multiplex detection method for Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes in cow milk

Abstract

Raw cow milk is considered one of the most important vehicles for pathogenic bacteria like Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes. These three bacteria are responsible for foodborne diseases. Routine microbiological methods to detect these microorganisms in cow milk can be complicated and time consuming. The aim of this work was to evaluate a method to simultaneously detect Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes in experimentally contaminated cow milk. The assessed method combined a standard microbiological culture step, using a pre-enrichment medium that favors the growth of the three focal microorganisms: SEL broth, followed by a single PCR assay. A total of 43 interference bacterial strains were used to evaluate the method’s specificity. The detection ra... Ver más...