COMPARISON OF 3 STOOL-PROCESSING METHODS FOR DETECTION OF SALMONELLA SEROGROUP-B, SEROGROUP-C2, AND SEROGROUP-D BY PCR

Three different stool sample-processing methods (centrifugation, immun omagnetic separation, and selective enrichment cultivation) for the id entification of Salmonella serogroups by PCR were studied. The corresp onding sensitivities in an ethidium bromide stained-agarose gel were 1 0(5), 10(3), and 10 bacteria, respectively. The PCR assay with overnig ht enrichment performed as well as, or even better than, the conventio nal culture technique. Of 485 clinical stool samples, PCR correctly id entified all 230 culture-positive samples as well as mixed Salmonella infections in four cases.