Detection of the beta2 toxin gene of Clostridium perfringens in diarrhoeic piglets in The Netherlands and Switzerland.
The two studies presented here were done to determine the prevalence of the alpha, beta, epsilon and enterotoxin genes and the novel beta2 toxin gene of Clostridium perfringens in neonatal or pre-weaned piglets with diarrhoea or necrotic enteritis. All C. perfringens isolates were positive for the alpha and negative for the epsilon and enterotoxin gene, implying that only non-enterotoxigenic type A and C strains were detected. The most important findings were the relatively high prevalence of the beta2 toxin gene in isolates from diarrhoeic piglets in both studies, and, in one of the two studies, absence of strains with only the alpha and beta toxin gene. These data are supportive for the suggestion of a causal relationship of beta2 toxin-producing strains with digestive tract diseases in piglets.
Department of Bacteriological Research and Development, Intervet International BV, Boxmeer, The Netherlands. eric.klaasen@intervet.akzonobel.nl
H L
HL
Klaasen
M J
MJ
Molkenboer
J
J
Bakker
R
R
Miserez
H
H
Häni
J
J
Frey
M R
MR
Popoff
J F
JF
van den Bosch
D000818:Animals; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D003015:Clostridium Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D003016:Clostridium perfringens / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology; D010738:Type C Phospholipases / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics
D001427:Bacterial Toxins; C031884:CPB protein, Clostridium perfringens; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; C039811:Clostridium perfringens epsilon-toxin; C109896:cpb2 protein, Clostridium perfringens; D010738:Type C Phospholipases; C040649:alpha toxin, Clostridium perfringens