Establishment and preliminary application of multiplex PCR assay for rapid detection of Streptococcus suis serotype 2

Four specific primers were designed based on the species-specific 16S rDNA gene sequence and type-specific capsular genes sequence of S.suis serotype 2(or 1/2 type),and then a multiplex PCR assay was established for the rapid detection of S.suis serotype 2(or 1/2 type).The sensitivity and the specificity tests using S.suis serotype 2 strain and other related standard strains as reference strains showed that the method was quite specific and sensitive,and as low as 30 CPU/mL of serotype 2(or 1/2 type) of S.suis could be detected from tissue samples.The method was also used to detect tonsil samples of pigs from Jiangxi,Beijing,Zhuhai,Tianjin and Sichuan,and the results was consistent with that of classic bacteria isolation and slide agglutination test.The results suggested that the established multiplex PCR assay could be used for rapid detection of Streptococcus suis serotype 2.