<i>Salmonella enterica</i> Enteritidis and Heidelberg serotype-specific molecular detection in poultry samples by a rapid isothermal method

1. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays were developed to detect <i>Salmonella enterica</i> subspecies <i>enterica</i> serotypes Enteritidis and Heidelberg in poultry farms. These serotype-specific methods were evaluated in comparison with PCR in the analysis of different <i>Salmonella</i> spp. serotypes from a culture collection and poultry farm samples.2. The results demonstrated the specific amplification of the genetic targets <i>saf</i>A in all <i>S</i>. Enteritidis (<i>n</i> = 10) and <i>ACF69659</i> in all <i>S</i>. Heidelberg (<i>n</i> = 36) isolates from the culture collection. The remaining isolates from other <i>Salmonella</i> spp. serotypes (<i>n</i> = 84) and bacterial species (<i>n</i> = 8) were negative in both LAMP assays.3. The methods detected DNAs from <i>S</i>. Enteritidis and <i>S</i>. Heidelberg after a single-step pre-enrichment in buffered peptone water of the poultry samples, which agreed with previously developed PCR methods to detect these same two serotypes.4. In conclusion, LAMP assays were useful for rapid serotype-specific detection, being suitable for surveillance purposes in resource-limited environments such as poultry farms.