title: Detection by polymerase chain reaction of Clostridium perfringens producing epsilon toxin in faeces and in gastrointestinal contents of goats.
abstract: A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to identify the gene-encoding epsilon toxin production in Clostridium perfringens types B and D in faeces and in gastrointestinal contents of goats. The samples were cultured in thioglycollate broth and centrifuged. The upper layer of the pellet was used as a template for PCR, obviating the need for DNA extraction. This technique specifically differentiated Cl. perfringens types B and D from Cl. perfringens types A and C and from Escherichia coli. When used to identify Cl. perfringens type D in samples artificially spiked with the micro-organism, the PCR detected as few as 1.4 x 10(2) cfu g-1 of sample. Gastrointestinal contents and faeces were collected from 20 goats at slaughter and processed by PCR. Several positive results were obtained from the first five goats that were slaughtered and sampled a few days after their arrival at the abattoir, but only a few samples gave positive results during the following weeks, after the goats had been fed a concentrated ration containing monensin. A possible role of this drug in control of enterotoxaemia is suggested.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Uzal
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Plumb
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Blackall
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: O'Boyle
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Kelly
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D003016:Clostridium perfringens / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D005766:Gastrointestinal Contents / Q000382:microbiology*; D006041:Goats / Q000382:microbiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins; C039811:Clostridium perfringens epsilon-toxin