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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #65220
Title: IDENTIFICATION OF ARCOBACTER ISOLATES BY PCR

Author
item HARMON, K - IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
item WESLEY, IRENE

Submitted to: Letters in Applied Microbiology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/3/1996
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Arcobacter spp. are a new group of bacteria. They are closely related to Campylobacter jejuni, which is a major cause of human foodborne illness. Arcobacter spp. have been implicated in human and in animal disease. The Arcobacter bacteria are difficult to grow in the laboratory, which complicates their detection in animal tissues and in clinical specimens. A new diagnostic test based on detection of bacterial genetic material was developed to identify Arcobacter. The test is quick, simple to perform, and the results are easily interpreted. This assay can identify the three types of Arcobacter associated with illness in livestock and humans. The entire assay requires less than eight hours to complete, compared to several days or weeks for current methods. This test will be of benefit in determining the prevalence of Arcobacter in livestock and in meats. Information gained from use of this test in surveys for Arcobacter will benefit action agencies, such as FSIS, APHIS, and FDA, to conduct surveys designed to assess risks for animal or human disease caused by Arcobacter.

Technical Abstract: A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was developed for the identification of the three species of Arcobacter which have been recovered from clinically ill or healthy humans and/or livestock, namely Arcobacter butzleri, Arcobacter skirrowii, and Arcobacter cryaerophilus. The assay utilizes primers targeted to the genes encoding 16S rRNA of Arcobacter spp.