Sequences and their use for detection and characterization of e. coli 0157:h7

A method for detecting the presence of E. coli O157:H7 in a sample, said sample comprising nucleic acids, said method comprising:

• (a) providing a reaction mixture comprising suitable primer pairs for amplification of at least a portion of
• (i) two or more E. coli O157:H7 genomic DNA regions within the pO157 portion of the E. coli O157:H7 genome, wherein said primer pairs are suitable for amplification SEQ ID NO:
• 2 and SEQ ID NO:
• 3, wherein said primer pair for amplification of the nucleic acid region of SEQ ID NO:
• 2 comprises SEQ ID NO:
• 12 and SEQ ID NO:
• 13, wherein said primer pair for amplification of the nucleic acid region of SEQ ID NO:
• 3 comprises SEQ ID NO:16 and SEQ ID NO:17, and
• (ii) one or more E. coli O157:H7 genomic DNA regions outside the pO157 portion of the E. coli O157:H7 genome, wherein said primer pair is suitable for amplification of SEQ ID NO:
• 1, and wherein said primer pair for amplification of SEQ ID NO:
• 1 comprises SEQ ID NO:5 and SEQ ID NO:6;
• (b) performing PCR amplification of said nucleic acids of said sample using the reaction mixture of step (a);
• and
• (c) detecting the amplification of step (b), whereby a positive detection of amplification in (a)(i) and (a)(ii) indicates the presence of E. coli O157:H7 in the sample.