Enteropathogenicity of Bacillus cereus isolated from some Nigerian foods.
BACKGROUND
Bacillus cereus is a soil bacterium and has been isolated from cooked and uncooked rice, milk and dairy products, meat, spices, garlic, vegetables, cereals and infant formulae.


OBJECTIVE
To report on the enteropathogenicity of B. cereus isolated from Nigerian foods.


METHODS
Forty-five Bacillus cereus isolates classified as diarrhoeal and emetic strains were assayed for enterotoxin production. Thirty extractions were from diarrhoeal strains and 15 from emetic strains.


RESULTS
Forty-five Bacillus cereus isolates classified as diarrhoeal and emetic strains were assayed for enterotoxin production. Of the 30 toxin extractions from B. cereus classified as diarrhoeal strains, 18 (60%) gave positive ileal-loop reactions, while 15 toxin extractions from emetic strains of B. cereus gave negative ileal-loop reactions.


CONCLUSIONS
The work has demonstrated the distribution and toxigenicity of B. cereus in various Nigerian foods. An appreciable number of Nigerian food isolates are capable of causing diarrhoea. Forty percent of the enterotoxigenic isolate were mild to severe enterotixin producers, with 31% mild, 6.7% moderate and 2.2% severe.
Whong
C M Z
CM
Department of Microbiology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.
Kwaga
J K P
JK
Amber
E I
EI
D000818:Animals; D001409:Bacillus cereus / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D001681:Biological Assay; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D007082:Ileum / Q000382:microbiology; D009549:Nigeria; D011817:Rabbits; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D014839:Vomiting / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology
D004768:Enterotoxins; C040792:enterotoxin, Bacillus cereus