Identification of emetic toxin producing Bacillus cereus strains by a novel molecular assay. 2004

Monika Ehling-Schulz, and Martina Fricker, and Siegfried Scherer
Abteilung Mikrobiologie, Zentralinstitut für Ernährungs- und Lebensmittelforschung (ZIEL), Technische Universität München, Weihenstephaner Berg 3, D-85354 Freising, Germany.

Bacillus cereus causes two types of gastrointestinal diseases: emesis and diarrhea. The emetic type of the disease is attributed to the heat-stable depsipeptide cereulide and symptoms resemble Staphylococcus aureus intoxication, but there is no rapid method available to detect B. cereus strains causing this type of disease. In this study, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) fragment of unknown function was identified, which was shown to be specific for emetic toxin producing strains of B. cereus. The sequence of this amplicon was determined and a PCR assay was developed on this basis. One hundred B. cereus isolates obtained from different food poisoning outbreaks and diverse food sources from various geographical locations and 29 strains from other species belonging to the B. cereus group were tested by this assay. In addition, 49 non-B. cereus group strains, with special emphasis on food pathogens, were used to show that the assay is specific for emetic toxin producing B. cereus strains. The presented PCR assay is the first molecular tool for the rapid detection of emetic toxin producing B. cereus strains.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D010456 Peptides, Cyclic Peptides whose amino acid residues are linked together forming a circular chain. Some of them are ANTI-INFECTIVE AGENTS; some are biosynthesized non-ribosomally (PEPTIDE BIOSYNTHESIS, NON-RIBOSOMAL). Circular Peptide,Cyclic Peptide,Cyclic Peptides,Cyclopeptide,Orbitide,Circular Peptides,Cyclopeptides,Orbitides,Peptide, Circular,Peptide, Cyclic,Peptides, Circular
D004269 DNA, Bacterial Deoxyribonucleic acid that makes up the genetic material of bacteria. Bacterial DNA
D005517 Foodborne Diseases Acute illnesses, usually affecting the GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT, brought on by consuming contaminated food or beverages. Most of these diseases are infectious, caused by a variety of bacteria, viruses, or parasites that can be foodborne. Sometimes the diseases are caused by harmful toxins from the microbes or other chemicals present in the food. Especially in the latter case, the condition is often called food poisoning. Food Poisoning,Food-borne Disease,Food-borne Illness,Foodborne Disease,Foodborne Illness,Food-borne Diseases,Food-borne Illnesses,Foodborne Illnesses,Poisoning, Food,Disease, Food-borne,Disease, Foodborne,Food Poisonings,Food borne Disease,Food borne Diseases,Food borne Illness,Food borne Illnesses,Illness, Food-borne,Illness, Foodborne,Illnesses, Foodborne
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001409 Bacillus cereus A species of rod-shaped bacteria that is a common soil saprophyte. Its spores are widespread and multiplication has been observed chiefly in foods. Contamination may lead to food poisoning.
D001427 Bacterial Toxins Toxic substances formed in or elaborated by bacteria; they are usually proteins with high molecular weight and antigenicity; some are used as antibiotics and some to skin test for the presence of or susceptibility to certain diseases. Bacterial Toxin,Toxins, Bacterial,Toxin, Bacterial
D012680 Sensitivity and Specificity Binary classification measures to assess test results. Sensitivity or recall rate is the proportion of true positives. Specificity is the probability of correctly determining the absence of a condition. (From Last, Dictionary of Epidemiology, 2d ed) Specificity,Sensitivity,Specificity and Sensitivity
D014839 Vomiting The forcible expulsion of the contents of the STOMACH through the MOUTH. Emesis
D016133 Polymerase Chain Reaction In vitro method for producing large amounts of specific DNA or RNA fragments of defined length and sequence from small amounts of short oligonucleotide flanking sequences (primers). The essential steps include thermal denaturation of the double-stranded target molecules, annealing of the primers to their complementary sequences, and extension of the annealed primers by enzymatic synthesis with DNA polymerase. The reaction is efficient, specific, and extremely sensitive. Uses for the reaction include disease diagnosis, detection of difficult-to-isolate pathogens, mutation analysis, genetic testing, DNA sequencing, and analyzing evolutionary relationships. Anchored PCR,Inverse PCR,Nested PCR,PCR,Anchored Polymerase Chain Reaction,Inverse Polymerase Chain Reaction,Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction,PCR, Anchored,PCR, Inverse,PCR, Nested,Polymerase Chain Reactions,Reaction, Polymerase Chain,Reactions, Polymerase Chain
D047630 Depsipeptides Compounds consisting of chains of AMINO ACIDS alternating with CARBOXYLIC ACIDS via ester and amide linkages. They are commonly cyclized. Cyclic Depsipeptide,Cyclodepsipeptide,Depsipeptide,Peptolide,Peptolides,Cryptophycins,Cyclodepsipeptides,Depsipeptides, Cyclic,Cyclic Depsipeptides,Depsipeptide, Cyclic

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