Comparison of detection limits of PCR-based assays with lysates and FTA filters as templates. (I) PCR products generated from 10-fold serially diluted S. flexneri cells (lane A, 5 × 104 CFU; lane B, 5 × 103 CFU; lane C, 5 × 102 CFU; lane D, 50 CFU) when boiled lysates and FTA filters were used as PCR templates. (II and III) Same comparison performed with S. enterica serotype Typhimurium and L. monocytogenes, respectively. The arrows indicate the expected size of each amplicon.