Prevalence of enterotoxin gene (stn) among different serovars of Salmonella

The prevalence of Salmonella enterotoxin (stn) gene among different Salmone lla serovars by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and its status of exp ression on the Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells were investigated. All the 26 strains of Salmonella enterica such as serovars Typhimurium, Enteritidi s, Dublin, Typhi, Newport, Weltevreden, Gallinarum, etc, investigated in th is study were found to carry stn gene as examined by the PCR; and gene prob e. However, only a limited number of stn positive strains (34.6%) were foun d to express phenotypically the Salmonella enterotoxin (Stn) as tested by t he CHO cell assay. The strains of S. bongori were found to be negative for Stn production both genotypically and phenotypically.