Detection of norovirus and indicator organisms on fresh produce

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dc.contributor.advisorMeng, Jianghongen_US
dc.contributor.authorWilliams, Karen Elizabethen_US
dc.contributor.departmentFood Scienceen_US
dc.contributor.publisherDigital Repository at the University of Marylanden_US
dc.contributor.publisherUniversity of Maryland (College Park, Md.)en_US
dc.date.accessioned2006-02-04T07:35:34Z
dc.date.available2006-02-04T07:35:34Z
dc.date.issued2005-12-06en_US
dc.description.abstractFood borne illness is a major problem around the world. Recently, more food borne outbreaks involve produce as the vehicle and viruses as the source of contamination. Norovirus is a common food borne viral pathogen. Genetic diversity among the viruses has made detection difficult. Due to the difficulties in detection, the norovirus is an ideal candidate for having an indicator organism. FRNA bacteriophages share several similarities with enteric viruses and would be an ideal candidate. In this study, we evaluated reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) detection of norovirus and evaluated using FRNA bacteriophages, E. coli, and Enterococcus as indicator organisms for the virus on produce. Of the five RT-PCR methods tested, only two worked with both controls. Of the 180 produce samples tested, 37.2% were positive for FRNA bacteriophage, 17.2% were positive for Enterococcus, and 0% were positive for E. coli. We conclude that RT-PCR is not an efficient method for screening norovirus on produce and including FRNA bacteriophages as indicator organisms for viruses may help decrease outbreaks.en_US
dc.format.extent694789 bytes
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdf
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/3204
dc.language.isoen_US
dc.subject.pqcontrolledAgriculture, Food Science and Technologyen_US
dc.subject.pqcontrolledBiology, Microbiologyen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledfood safetyen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledfresh produceen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrollednorovirusen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledindicator organismsen_US
dc.titleDetection of norovirus and indicator organisms on fresh produceen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US

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