Detection of Vibrio cholerae in raw cockles (Anadara granosa) by polymerase chain reaction

• Main Authors: R., Suzita, Abu Bakar, Fatimah, Radu, Son, Abdulamir, Ahmed Sahib
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Faculty of Food Science and Technology, Universiti Putra Malaysia 2010
• Online Access: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/13939/1/13939.pdf; http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/13939/; http://www.ifrj.upm.edu.my/17%20%2803%29%202010/IFRJ-2010-675-680%20Suzita%20Malaysia.pdf
• Institution: Universiti Putra Malaysia

Aimed of this study was to determine the presence of Vibrio cholerae in cockles (Anadara granosa) from different coasts in Malaysia and to measure the biosafety of V. cholerae in raw cockles at wet market in Malaysia using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in combination with the most probable number (MPN) method. A total of 100 samples from 4 different wet markets in the West and East were examined for the presence of V. cholerae. The prevalence of V. cholerae between the two coasts was not significant different. In fact, the 74% of samples from West coast area was found positive while the 69% for samples collected in the East coast. West coast samples showed a prevalence of 60% for the wet market A=, 64% for B=, 88% for C= and 84% for the market D); East coast samples showed the same percentage with 72% for the wet markets E, F and H, followed by wet market G with 60%.With the MPN-PCR method, using 80 samples of raw cockles obtained from 4 wet markets, the occurrence of V. cholerae detected was of 95%. The frequency of V. cholerae in raw cockles obtained from wet market I and L was higher (100%) compared to other wet market (Wet market B=, 90%; Wet market C=, 95%).The density of V. cholerae detected in all samples ranged from <30 up to >24000 MPN/g, but most of the samples (24 samples) were in category >24000 MPN/g concentration. V. cholerae was present in raw cockles in higher number. Hence, these results demonstrate the presence of pathogenic V.cholerae in cockles harvested and reveal the potential risk of illness associated with their consumption. This study will be the first biosafety assessment of V. choleare in raw cockles in Malaysia and it will provide significant insights about Malaysian scenario.