title: PCR identification of the plasmid-borne enterotoxin gene (cpe) in Clostridium perfringens strains isolated from food poisoning outbreaks.
abstract: It is generally accepted that Clostridium perfringens strains associated with food poisoning carry their enterotoxin gene, cpe, on the chromosome, while C. perfringens strains isolated from non-food-borne diseases, such as antibiotic-associated diarrhea and sporadic diarrhea, carry cpe on the plasmid. However, we recently encountered a food poisoning outbreak caused by C. perfringens bearing a plasmid cpe. We therefore investigated a total of 31 clinical and non-clinical C. perfringens strains to locate the cpe gene by PCR. The cpe of nine heat-sensitive (100 degrees C for 10min) strains isolated from three outbreaks of food poisoning were located on the plasmid, while those of six heat-resistant strains from other food poisoning outbreaks were located on the chromosome. Moreover, the cpe of 5 heat-sensitive strains isolated from healthy human feces and those of 11 heat-sensitive soil strains were also located on the plasmid. These findings indicate that heat-sensitive, cpe-plasmid-borne C. perfringens strains should not be disregarded as causative agents of food poisoning.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Sciences, School of Health Sciences, Kanazawa University, 5-11-80 Kodatsuno, Kanazawa 920-0942, Japan.
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Aya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Yotaku
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gyobu
authors.forename: Shuichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Higaki
authors.forename: Tadahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Karasawa
authors.forename: Takayoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamagishi
mesh_terms: D002876:Chromosomes, Bacterial; D003015:Clostridium Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D003016:Clostridium perfringens / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008461:Meat Products / Q000382:microbiology; D010957:Plasmids; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004768:Enterotoxins