Detection of Enterotoxin (hblA,hblC and hblD ) Genes of Bacillus cereus Isolates from Different Food Samples Using Traditional and Molecular Methods

Abstract

A total of 245 samples of foods (pasteurized milk, cheese, yoghurt, meat, and coffee) collected from different local markets at  Baghdad  city. The samples were cultured on selective media , polymyxin B pyruvate  egg yolk mannitol  bromothymol  blue agar (PEMBA) to isolate  B.cereus. Results revealed that  the isolation  of  fifty five B. cereus  isolates distributed  as  26.2 %  in  pasteurized milk , 22.8% in cheese, 30.2% in yoghurt, 15.6% in  meat  and  8% in coffee. To confirm the  identification, all the fifty five  B.cereus isolates were undergone to biochemical  test , and grown  on  blood  agar . PCR amplification resulted  in  the occurrence  of  each of  the  genes hblA, hblC and hblD  in the percentages  of  38.2%,  60%  and 60%  respectively out of the total number of isolates.