Molecular methods for Bacillus cereus and Bacillus thuringiensis from humans, pesticides and foods, differentiation

B. cereus and B. thuringiensis strains have been associated with gastro-intestinal infections due to enterotoxins production. The possibility of differentiating between B. cereus and B. thuringiensis is a real need in preventing intoxication and in monitoring potentially contaminated foods. The use of DNA comparison provides clearer results than classical microbiological methods in distinguishing B. cereus from B. thuringiensis. The use of a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) followed by Endonuclease Restriction (RE) made the distinction possible in spite of the huge similarity between the two closely related species. © 2008 Akademiai Kiado. Budapest.