Daniel Serna (UTPA) and Dr. Randall Gayda, Biological Sciences

Analysis of Salmonella Isolates from Turtles by Repetitive DNA
PCR Primers


The selling of freshwater turtles in Louisiana is a multimillion dollar industry. There has been an ongoing struggle to eliminate Salmonella bacteria from the red- ear slider turtles. Turtles examined from the Ponchatoula area, Pierre Part/Napoleonville area, and Jonesville area (all in Louisiana) have tested positive for containing Salmonella. The objective of this study is to separate species of Salmonella by using PCR to ultimately develop a bacteriophage cocktail that will eliminate Salmonella from the turtles. PCR analysis with primers ERIC2 and BOXA1R allowed us to separate strains of Salmonella into three different genera; S. enterididis, S. arizonae, and S. diarizonae.