Hybridization of 2,659 Clostridium perfringens isolates with gene probes for seven toxins (alpha, beta, epsilon, iota, theta, mu, and enterotoxin) and for sialidase.

OBJECTIVE

To genetically characterize Clostridium perfringens isolates for association of pathologic type with various diseases.

DESIGN

Prospective study.

SAMPLE POPULATION

2,659 C perfringens isolates from various nonhuman animals species, human beings, and foods.

PROCEDURE

Colony hybridization with DNA probes for 7 toxin (alpha, beta, epsilon, iota (subunits a and b), theta, mu, and enterotoxin) genes and 1 sialidase gene were performed to group the isolates by pathologic type.

RESULTS

Enterotoxin-negative type-A isolates were the most common (2,575/2,659), were isolated from all sources, and were separated into 5 pathologic types. In cattle and horses with enterotoxemia, essentially only these pathologic types were identified. The enterotoxin-negative isolates of types C or D each had a single pathologic type. Type-C isolates were isolated only from swine with necrotic enteritis and type-D isolates from small ruminants with enterotoxemia, except that 1 type-D isolate was also found from a healthy fish. Type-B or -E isolates were not found. Among the 47 enterotoxin-positive isolates, 5 isolates from sheep or deer were type D and the other 42 were type A. These 42 isolates were grouped into 3 pathologic types: 1 type was isolated from samples of almost all origins, but the other 2 types were found in only 5 fish, 4 human beings, and 1 dog.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Genetic characterization of these isolates allowed identification of 11 different pathologic types. This approach may be useful in molecular diagnosis and prophylaxis of clostridial disease.