PCR‐Based Identification of Pandemic Group Vibrio parahaemolyticus with a Novel Group‐Specific Primer Pair

Abstract
A PCR‐based assay to identify pandemic group Vibrio parahaemolyticus has been developed. The assay employs an oligonucleotide primer pair derived from the group‐specific sequence of an arbitrarily primed‐PCR fragment, which is located in the genome encoding a “hypothetical protein,” approximately 80% homologous to the Mn2+ and Fe2+ transporter of the NRAMP family of V. vulnificus. The assay distinguished the pandemic group from other V. parahaemolyticus strains by yielding a 235‐bp specific amplicon, and can be a useful diagnostic tool for identification of pandemic group strains.