Detection of Clostridium perfringens and its enterotoxin in cases of sporadic diarrhoea.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the incidence of sporadic and apparently non-food related diarrhoea associated with Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin.


METHODS
Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and reversed phase latex agglutination (RPLA) were used to detect C perfringens enterotoxin in faecal specimens from 818 sporadic cases of diarrhoea.


RESULTS
C perfringens enterotoxin was identified as a cause of sporadic diarrhoea in 56 of 818 (6.8%) cases. Diarrhoea was prolonged (three days or more) in most cases. Ages ranged from 3 months to 89 years, although most patients were over 60 years of age.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that C perfringens may be a cause of sporadic cases of diarrhoea when causes such as food consumption or cross-infection are absent, particularly in the elderly.
Brett
M M
MM
Food Hygiene Laboratory, Central Public Health Laboratory, London.
Rodhouse
J C
JC
Donovan
T J
TJ
Tebbutt
G M
GM
Hutchinson
D N
DN
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003016:Clostridium perfringens / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000382:microbiology*; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000032:analysis*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007841:Latex Fixation Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification
D004768:Enterotoxins