DETECTION AND IDENTIFICATION OF YERSINIA-PSEUDOTUBERCULOSIS AND PATHOGENIC YERSINIA-ENTEROCOLITICA BY AN IMPROVED POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION METHOD

We developed a polymerase chain reaction method in order to detect and identify both Yersinia pseudotuberculosis and pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica. Polymerase chain reaction was performed by using a mixture of primers against the inv gene from Y. pseudotuberculosis and the ail gene from pathogenic Y. enterocolitica. Further addition of primers against the plasmid-coded virF gene from Y. enterocolitica made it possible to detect a virulence-associated gene of both species at the same time. This method was proved to be an adequate and convenient procedure for routine detection and identification of these bacilli.