Propidium monoazide does not fully inhibit the detection of dead Campylobacter on broiler chicken carcasses by qPCR

• Published in: Journal of microbiological methods Vol. 95; no. 1; pp. 32 - 38
• Main Authors: Pacholewicz, Ewa, Swart, Arno, Lipman, Len J.A., Wagenaar, Jaap A., Havelaar, Arie H., Duim, Birgitta
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01-10-2013
• Subjects: Animals; Azides - metabolism; Bacterial Load - methods; Broiler; broiler chickens; Campylobacter; Campylobacter coli - isolation & purification; Campylobacter coli - physiology; Campylobacter jejuni - isolation & purification; Campylobacter jejuni - physiology; Campylobacter lari; Campylobacter lari - isolation & purification; Campylobacter lari - physiology; chicken carcasses; Chickens - microbiology; Microbial Viability; PMA; propidium; Propidium - analogs & derivatives; Propidium - metabolism; qPCR; quantitative polymerase chain reaction; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods; slaughterhouses; qPCR; PMA; Broiler; Campylobacter
• ISSN: 0167-7012; 1872-8359
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2013.06.003

A real time quantitative PCR combined with propidium monoazide (PMA) treatment of samples was implemented to quantify live C. jejuni, C. coli and C. lari on broiler chicken carcasses at selected processing steps in the slaughterhouse. The samples were enumerated by culture for comparison. The Campylobacter counts determined with the PMA-qPCR and the culture method were not concordant. We conclude that the qPCR combined with PMA treatment of the samples did not fully reduce the signal from dead cells.
•Real time PCR combined with PMA to detect live Campylobacter was validated.•PMA treatment of chicken rinse samples did not fully reduce the signal from dead cells.•High bacteria concentration in samples might impact the PMA effect.