title: Bacillus cereus may produce two or more diarrheal enterotoxins.
abstract: Bacillus cereus strains were tested for production of diarrheal enterotoxin by the reverse passive latex agglutination test and for presence of B. cereus enterotoxin gene (bceT) by polymerase chain reaction. About 50% of 56 B. cereus strains reacted positive in broth culture in the reverse passive latex agglutination test, while the bceT gene was detected in 41.1%. Sixteen percent of the strains were positive for both diarrheal enterotoxin and bceT gene. A 741 bp probe prepared from the polymerase chain reaction product detected bceT gene in all strains that were positive with the polymerase chain reaction. This study indicates a likelihood of two or more enterotoxins being produced by B. cereus which may be involved in causing diarrheal type food poisoning.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Ombui
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schmieger
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Kagiko
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Arimi
mesh_terms: D001409:Bacillus cereus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000382:microbiology*; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D006868:Hydrolysis; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013213:Starch / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004768:Enterotoxins; D013213:Starch