DETECTION OF ENTEROTOXIGENIC ESCHERICHIA-COLI, SHIGELLA AND CAMPYLOBACTER SPP BY MULTIPLEX PCR ASSAY

Three oligonucleotide primers were used in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for the simultaneous amplification of regions of the inva sive plasmid antigen (ipaH) of Shigella spp., flagellin gene (flaA) of Campylobacter spp., and heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) of enterotoxigen ic Escherichia coli (ETEC). The multiplex assay was performed using DN A extracted by a chaotropic method directly from diarrhoeal stools. Th e diagnostic efficacy of the assay was analyzed by agarose gel electro phoresis. This assay shows a novel approach for the diagnosis of diarr hoea caused by Shigella spp., ETEC, and Campylobacter spp.