Molecular diagnostics for foodborne pathogen (Salmonella spp.) from poultry

Background: Salmonella species (spp.) are among major food-borne pathogens all over the world. Salmonella typhimurium is the main cause of food poisoning in humans. The fundamental objective of this study is to develop a rapid and reliable method to detect Salmonella (a foodbome pathogen) in raw poultry meat by using molecular approaches. Methods: Total 200 samples of raw poultry meat were collected from different regions of Lahore and analyzed for the presence of Salmonella spp. fimA gene. Similarly, sent genes were selected for the detection of Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella enteritidis respectively. PCR technique was optimized for diagnosis of contamination. Results: Out of 200 samples, 2% samples had shown successful amplification of fimA gene representing the presence of serovar Salmonella typhimurium. PCR assay combined with enrichment can enhance the efficiency for detection of Salmonella in poultry. Conclusion: A robust, simple and convenient PCR based method has been developed for the detection of one of the major food-borne pathogen Salmonella typhimurium.