Prevalence of enterotoxigenic Clostridium perfringens Isolates in Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) area soils and home kitchens.

ABSTRACT: In the United States and Europe, food poisoning due to Clostridium perfringens type A is predominantly caused by C. perfringens isolates carrying a chromosomal enterotoxin gene (cpe). Neither the reservoir for these isolates nor the point in the food chain where these bacteria contaminate foods is currently understood. Therefore, the current study investigated whether type A isolates carrying a chromosomal cpe gene are present in two potential reservoirs, i.e., soil and home kitchen surfaces. No C. perfringens isolates were recovered from home kitchen surfaces, but most surveyed soil samples contained C. perfringens. The recovered soil isolates were predominantly type A, but some type C, D, and E soil isolates were also identified. All cpe-positive isolates recovered from soil were genotyp

SUBMITTER: Li J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2168196 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature