

@article {13804,
	title = {Identification of a {Brevibacterium} marker gene specific to poultry litter and development of a quantitative {PCR} assay},
	journal = {Journal of Applied Microbiology},
	volume = {109},
	number = {1},
	year = {2010},
	abstract = {Aim: To identify a DNA sequence specific to a bacterium found in poultry litter that was indicative of faecal contamination by poultry sources. Methods and Results: Faecally contaminated poultry litter and soils were used as source material for the development of a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) method targeting the 16S rRNA gene of a Brevibacterium sp. The identified sequence had 98\% nucleotide identity to the 16S rRNA gene of Brevibacterium avium. The qPCR method was tested on 17 soiled litter samples; 40 chicken faecal samples; and 116 nontarget faecal samples from cattle, swine, ducks, geese, and human sewage collected across the United States. The 571-bp product was detected in 76\% of poultry-associated samples, but not in 93\% of faecal samples from other sources. Marker concentrations were 107-109 gene copies per gram in soiled litter, up to 105 gene copies per gram in spread-site soils, and 107 gene copies per litre in field run-off water. Results were corroborated by a blinded study conducted by a second laboratory. Conclusion: The poultry-specific PCR product is a useful marker gene for assessing the impact of faecal contamination as a result of land-applied poultry litter. Significance and Impact of the Study: This study describes the first quantitative, sensitive and specific microbial source tracking method for the detection of poultry litter contamination. {\textcopyright} 2010 The Authors.},
	doi = {10.1111/j.1365-2672.2010.04666.x},
	author = {Weidhaas, J.L. and Macbeth, T.W. and Olsen, R.L. and Sadowsky, M.J. and Norat, D. and Harwood, V.J.}
}
