Rapid detection of Salmonella typhi in foods by combination of immunomagnetic separation and polymerase chain reaction

A combination of immunomagnetic separation and polymerase chain reaction (IMS-PCR) was used to detect Salmonella typhi in food and water samples. IMS was found to be an effective method for specific capture of S. typhi from artificially inoculated meat rinse samples. The bacteria could be detected within 6 h by IMS-PCR with a sensitivity of 105 cells. However, when tested in milk samples, the method was less effective. In comparison to conventional culture method, IMS-PCR is a rapid and specific method for detection of S. typhi and could be useful in outbreak situations for tracing the source of infection.