Advanced Methods for Detection of <i>Bacillus cereu</i>s and Its Pathogenic Factors

• Main Authors: Nalini Ramarao, Seav-Ly Tran, Marco Marin, Jasmina Vidic
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-05-01
• Series: Sensors
• Subjects: <i>Bacillus cereus</i>; bacterial detection; biosensors; toxin detection; food safety; human health
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/20/9/2667

<i>Bacillus cereus</i> is an opportunistic foodborne pathogen causing food intoxication and infectious diseases. Different toxins and pathogenic factors are responsible for diarrheal syndrome, like nonhemolytic enterotoxin Nhe, hemolytic enterotoxin Hbl, enterotoxin FM and cytotoxin K, while emetic syndrome is caused by the depsipeptide cereulide toxin. The traditional method of <i>B. cereus</i> detection is based on the bacterial culturing onto selective agars and cells enumeration. In addition, molecular and chemical methods are proposed for toxin gene profiling, toxin quantification and strain screening for defined virulence factors. Finally, some advanced biosensors such as phage-based, cell-based, immunosensors and DNA biosensors have been elaborated to enable affordable, sensitive, user-friendly and rapid detection of specific <i>B. cereus</i> strains. This review intends to both illustrate the state of the <i>B. cereus</i> diagnostic field and to highlight additional research that is still at the development level.