Abstract
A polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-coupled ligase chain reaction (LCR) assay for the specific detection of Listeria monocytogenes (M. Wiedmann, J. Czajka, F. Barany, and C. A. Batt, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 58:3443-3447, 1992) has been modified for detection of the LCR products with a nonisotopic readout. When a chemiluminescent or a colorimetric substrate for the nonisotopic detection of the LCR products was used, the PCR-coupled LCR gave a sensitivity of 10 CFU of L. monocytogenes. The detection method with the chemiluminescent substrate Lumi-Phos 530 permitted detection of the LCR products in less than 3 h, so that the whole assay can be completed within 10 h.