Identification of Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains at the species level by PCR targeted to the toxR gene

The DNA colony hybridization test with the polynucleotide probe for Vibrio parahaemolyticus toxR gene was performed. All 373 strains of V. parahaemoly ticus gave positive results, and the strains belonging to four other Vibrio species including Vibrio alginolyticus gave weakly positive results, sugge sting that toxR sequence variation may reflect the phylogenetic relationshi ps of Vibrio species. We then established a toxR-targeted PCR protocol for the specific detection of V. parahaemolyticus.