METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS FOR DETECTING VIRULENT AND AVIRULENT ESCHERICHIA COLI STRAINS
Disclosed herein are methods for detecting virulent Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) strains O26, O103, O121, and O111 in a biological sample comprising the steps of: (i) enriching the bacterial concentration of the biological sample to result in an enriched sample; (ii) isolating DNA from said enriched biological sample; and (iii) detecting virulent strain in said isolated DNA sample via real-time PCR and a melt curve assay. Also disclosed are primers for said assay, as well as kits comprising said primers.
1 - 48 . (canceled)
49 . An isolated nucleic acid sequence comprising 90% or more identity to SEQ ID NO: 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, or 18.
50 . The isolated nucleic acid sequence of claim 49 , wherein the sequence comprises at least 95% identity to SEQ ID NO: 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, or 18.
51 . The isolated nucleic acid sequence of claim 50 , wherein the sequence comprises SEQ ID NO: 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, or 18.
55 - 66 . (canceled)