title: Prevalence and diversity of Clostridium botulinum types A, B, E and F in honey produced in the Nordic countries.
abstract: A total of 294 honey samples produced in Denmark, Norway and Sweden were studied for the presence of Clostridium botulinum types A, B, E and F by using a multiplex-PCR method. The samples consisted of honeycombs taken directly from beehives, and extracted honey representing several hives or apiaries. The prevalence of C. botulinum showed a significant variation between Denmark, Norway and Sweden, the proportions of positive samples being 26%, 10% and 2%, respectively. The major serotype detected was type B. When analysed with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) using restriction enzyme SacII, the 24 strains isolated produced eight different PFGE patterns. At a similarity level of 95%, four clusters were produced, three of which contained 20 of the 24 analysed strains. One of the clusters included isolates from both Denmark and Norway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Environmental Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 66, 00014 Helsinki, Finland. mari.nevas@helsinki.fi
authors.forename: Mari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nevas
authors.forename: Miia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lindström
authors.forename: Kirsi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hautamäki
authors.forename: Satu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Puoskari
authors.forename: Hannu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Korkeala
mesh_terms: D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D003014:Clostridium botulinum / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D047013:Clostridium botulinum type A / Q000302:isolation & purification; D047014:Clostridium botulinum type B / Q000302:isolation & purification; D047970:Clostridium botulinum type E / Q000302:isolation & purification; D047971:Clostridium botulinum type F / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D003718:Denmark; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006722:Honey / Q000032:analysis*; D009664:Norway; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D015995:Prevalence; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D012703:Serotyping; D013548:Sweden
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial