Investigations on airborne microorganisms in animal stables. 2. Report: further characterization of airborne Clostridium perfringens.

Toxovars of 97 airborne C. perfringens isolates and 10 C. perfringens isolates from fecal samples of a calf stable were determined by an EIA procedure. Most airborne and fecal isolates belonged to toxovar A (88.7% and 80.0% respectively). Eight point two% of airborne C. perfringens were identified as toxovar C and 3.1% as toxovar D. Toxovar B was not found in the airborne state. Twenty% of fecal C. perfringens belonged to toxovar D. Toxovar B and C was not isolated from fecal samples. In addition, all fecal and air-borne isolates of C. perfringens toxovar D strains were analyzed in SDS-PAGE for their polypeptide pattern. All isolates from both sources exhibited the same polypeptide pattern after electrophoretic analysis in SDS-PAGE. Both results, determination of toxovars as well as polypeptide pattern analysis in SDS-PAGE, suggest that a major source of airborne C. perfringens in animal stables is animal feces.