Abstract:
The present invention relates to detecting and distinguishing among bacteria that belong to the species Shigella, including and and detecting and distinguishing Shigella bacteria from In particular, the invention includes provision of species-identifying and genus-identifying nucleotides of 16s rRNA or 16s rDNA from the above named species. Nucleic acid probe molecules capable of differentiating among these species and genera by hybridization, along with methods for their use for specific detection in clinical samples, food samples, environmental samples, and the like are also provided.