Detection of Bacillus anthracis in the air, soil and animal tissue

Abstract

The objective of the present work was to establish effective and rapid diagnostic methods for the detection of Bacillus anthracis, a highly virulent zoonotic pathogen, in the air, soil and animal (or human) tissue samples. Liquid culture of B. anthracis was aerosolized and four air sampling procedures were employed. Detection of B. anthracis in the air samples was successful with RCS High Flow sampler (culturebased detection) and when sampling through the air filter (molecular detection using SmartHelix Complex Samples DNA Extraction Kit). Liquid B. anthracis culture was also employed for spiking the homogenised bovine lymphatic gland tissue and soil samples. DNA extraction was performed using three different commercial kits for each sample type. High Pure PCR Template Preparation Kit was the most effective for DNA extraction from animal tissue samples. Detection in the soil was successful when PowerSoil DNA Isolation Kit was used. Our results indicate that B. anthracis can be monitored in different matrices by rapid molecular methods when appropriate sampling and DNA extraction procedures are employed prior to PCR assay. The selected rapid protocols can be implemented in specialized veterinary or human diagnostic laboratories with moderate costs.