Identification and molecular characterization of Salmonella spp. from unpasteurized orange juices and identification of new serotype Salmonella strain S. enterica serovar Tempe.

Several Salmonella enterica serotypes were isolated from unpasteurized orange juice samples analysed as a follow-up to an outbreak in 1999 of S. enterica serotype Muenchen in the Pacific Northwest regions of United States. Eleven S. enterica strains were serotyped and identified as S. enterica serotype Muenchen (2), S. enterica serotype Hidalgo (2), S. enterica serotype Alamo (1), S. enterica serotype Gaminera (2), S. enterica serotype Javiana (2) and a new serotyped strain S. enterica serotype Tempe (2). The identity of the new serotype S. enterica serovar Tempe serotype 30:b:1,7:z33 was confirmed by the National Salmonella Reference Laboratory at NCID/CDC, Atlanta. These strains were sensitive to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, kanamycin, tetracycline, streptomycin and sulfisoxazole antibiotics. Isolates were screened for invasion (invA) and virulence (spvC) genes using specific primers for these two genes by polymerase chain reaction. All strains were positive for invA gene giving 321-bp fragment, however negative to virulence spvC gene. For pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis, Salmonella strain plugs were made and digested with XbaI and subjected to 18-h electrophoresis. The PFGE patterns were different for each S. enterica serotypes suggesting the several origins of contamination in outbreak. S. enterica serotype.