Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 8, 2025
A High-throughput Platform for the Screening of Salmonella spp./Shigella spp.
Published on: November 7, 2018
Development and Evaluation of an iiPCR Assay for Salmonella and Shigella Detection on a Field-Deployable PCR System
Tian Du1, Ji-Hong Lin2, Jun-Hua Zhao3
1Futian District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen 518040, Guangdong, China.
Background:
Salmonella and Shigella are often associated with fecal-oral transmission and cause large-scale outbreaks in centralized catering units and, therefore, should be frequently and strictly monitored, especially among food handlers. However, no specific and sensitive on-site detection method is available until now.
Methods:
In this study, an insulated isothermal PCR assay for the detection of Salmonella and Shigella on a field-deployable PCR system was developed. Specificity, sensitivity, reproducibility, and clinical accuracy of the assay were characterized and evaluated.
Results:
The insulated isothermal PCR assay could be completed within 58 minutes with minimal pretreatment needed. The assay was specific and with good reproducibility. The limit of detection was 103 CFU/mL and 101 CFU/mL for Salmonella and Shigella, respectively, which was comparable to multiplex real-time PCR. Mock on-site clinical evaluation results showed that the analytical sensitivity and specificity of the insulated isothermal PCR assay were 100% and 96.6%, while the positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 94.1% and 100%, respectively.
Conclusion:
Based on our results, we believe that the assay developed herein could serve as an alternative method for preliminary screening and provide a valuable platform for the on-site detection of Salmonella and Shigella, especially in resource-limited and developing countries.
