Rapid and sensitive detection of Vibrio cholerae by loop-mediated isothermal amplification targeted to the gene of outer membrane protein ompW

Aims: The present study was aimed to develop a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for rapid and specific detection of Vibrio cholerae. Methods and Results: A set of five designed primers that recognized specifically the V. cholerae ompW gene was used. The optimized time and temperature conditions for the LAMP assay were 75 min at 65 degrees C, respectively. The LAMP method accurately identified 16 isolates of V. cholerae but did not detect 28 non-cholerae Vibrio isolates and 37 non-Vibrio bacterial isolates. The sensitivity of LAMP for V. cholerae detection in pure cultures was 2 center dot 2 x 103 CFU ml-1 or equivalent to 8 CFU per reaction. In the case of spiked shrimp samples without enrichment, the detection limit for V. cholerae was 2 center dot 2 x 104 CFU g-1 or equivalent to 20 CFU per reaction, while that of PCR was 100 CFU per reaction. Conclusion: The developed LAMP assay targeting ompW gene was rapid, specific and sensitive for V. cholerae detection. Significant and Impact of the study: The developed LAMP assay appears to be precise, accurate and a valuable tool for detection of V. cholerae. This assay can replace laborious biochemical tests for the identification of V. cholerae in contaminated food sample.