A new Method to detect low levels of viable Salmonella Enteritidis within 10 hours

A group of scientists from Portugal developed a new rapid method based on the amplification of the Salmonella bacteriophage vB_SenS_PVP-SE2, coupled with real-time PCR, for the detection of viable Salmonella Enteritidis in chicken samples. The method detected 0.22 fg/μL of pure virus DNA and a concentration of viral particles of 103 pfu/mL. The authors claim that after a short recovery step, the addition of bacteriophages to spiked chicken, a sensitivity of 8 cfu/25 g could be detected within 10 h, including the time for DNA extraction and qPCR analysis. Values above 92% were obtained for sensitivity, accuracy, positive and negative predictive value. The results obtained show that the new methodology might be a useful tool for the detection of Salmonella Enteritidis (one of the most common serovars associated with foodborne illnesses). @ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0956713518306388?d