title: Evaluation of the use of the bioMerieux Rapid ID32 A for the identification of Clostridium botulinum.
abstract: The neurotoxins produced by Clostridium botulinum are amongst the most potent known to man. Toxin production is detected by a mouse bioassay, which requires several days for a result and is not acceptable for routine use unless there is a high level of suspicion. The Rapid ID32 A kit produced by bioMerieux gives an identification of an isolate within 4 h. The aim of this study was to examine the efficiency of the identification of Cl. botulinum using the Rapid ID32 A. Forty-two strains of Cl. botulinum, one strain each of botulinum toxin-producing Cl. butyricum and Cl. baratii, and four strains of Cl. sporogenes, were tested. One strain of Group I Cl. botulinum gave a presumptive identification of Group II Cl. botulinum, six strains of Cl. botulinum were identified as 50-98% Cl. botulinum in some tests, and 17 strains of Cl. botulinum were identified as < 50% Cl. botulinum. Thirteen strains of Cl. botulinum were identified as > 99% Cl. sporogenes or 86% Cl. histolyticum, and five strains gave a combination of these results. All strains of Cl. sporogenes were correctly identified. These results show that some strains of Cl. botulinum may not be correctly identified using the Rapid ID32A.
authors.affiliation: Food Hygiene Laboratory, PHLS Central Public Health Laboratory, London, UK.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Brett
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D003013:Clostridium / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003015:Clostridium Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D003014:Clostridium botulinum / Q000145:classification / Q000201:enzymology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D051379:Mice; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic
chemical_list: D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic