Tools for molecular identification of Salmonella in food in small to medium-sized laboratories Flávia Bülow dos Santos, Rosinete de Lima Maia, Rute Gonzalez Ribaya, Paulo Henrique Matayoshi Calixto

Abstract

Salmonella is a pathogen that is often found in foods of all origins. There are approximately 3,000 recognized serotypes of this species, which makes its diagnosis and classification very difficult. Classification of Salmonella isolates is essential for epidemiological surveillance. However, due to logistical and operational difficulties, the correct diagnosis of these specimens is compromised, and in some cases, it is not even performed. To overcome these limitations, molecular techniques for the diagnosis and classification of Salmonella have been listed, which can be developed in small to medium-sized laboratories, due to the need for little equipment to perform them. These techniques include pulsed field electrophoresis, ribosomal RNA analysis, random amplified DNA polymorphism analysis, repetitive element amplification, and restriction fragment length polymorphism of the PCR product.