Point-of-Care Diagnostic System for Viable Salmonella Species via Improved Propidium Monoazide and Recombinase Polymerase Amplification Based Nucleic Acid Lateral Flow

Salmonella species are prominent foodborne microbial pathogens transmitted through contaminated food or water and pose a significant threat to human health. Accurate and rapid point-of-care (POC) diagnosis is gaining attention in effectively preventing outbreaks of foodborne disease. However, the presence of dead bacteria can interfere with an accurate diagnosis, necessitating the development of methods for the rapid, simple, and efficient detection of viable bacteria only. Herein, we used an improved propidium monoazide (PMAxx) to develop a nucleic acid lateral flow (NALF) assay based on recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) to differentiate viable Salmonella Typhimurium. We selected an RPA primer set targeting the invA gene and designed a probe for NALF. RPA-based NALF was optimized for temperature (30-43 degrees C), time (1-25 min), and endonuclease IV concentration (0.025-0.15 unit/mu L). PMAxx successfully eliminated false-positive results from dead S. Typhimurium, enabling the accurate detection of viable S. Typhimurium with a detection limit of 1.11 x 10(2) CFU/mL in pure culture. The developed method was evaluated with spiked raw chicken breast and milk with analysis completed within 25 min at 39 degrees C. This study has potential as a tool for the POC diagnostics of viable foodborne pathogens with high specificity, sensitivity, rapidity, and cost-effectiveness.