Bacteriophage amplification assay for detection of Listeria spp. using virucidal laser treatment

A protocol for the bacteriophage amplification technique was developed for quantitative detection of viable Listeria monocytogenes cells using the A511 listeriophage with plaque formation as the end-point assay. Laser and toluidine blue O (TBO) were employed as selective virucidal treatment for dest...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: I.C. Oliveira, R.C.C. Almeida, E. Hofer, P.F. Almeida
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia 2012-09-01
Series:Brazilian Journal of Microbiology
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Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1517-83822012000300040
Description
Summary:A protocol for the bacteriophage amplification technique was developed for quantitative detection of viable Listeria monocytogenes cells using the A511 listeriophage with plaque formation as the end-point assay. Laser and toluidine blue O (TBO) were employed as selective virucidal treatment for destruction of exogenous bacteriophage. Laser and TBO can bring a total reduction in titer phage (ca. 10(8) pfu/mL) without affecting the viability of L. monocytogenes cells. Artificially inoculated skimmed milk revealed mean populations of the bacteria as low as between 13 cfu/mL (1.11 log cfu/mL), after a 10-h assay duration. Virucidal laser treatment demonstrated better protection of Listeria cells than the other agents previously tested. The protocol was faster and easier to perform than standard procedures. This protocol constitutes an alternative for rapid, sensitive and quantitative detection of L. monocytogenes.
ISSN:1517-8382
1678-4405