The C. perfringens species is associated with various environments, such as soils, sewage, and food. However, it is also a component of the gastrointestinal (GI) microflora (i.e., microbiota) of sick and healthy humans and animals. C. perfringens is linked with different systemic and enteric diseases in livestock and humans, such as gas gangrene, food poisoning, non-foodborne diarrhoea, and enterocolitis. The strains of this opportunistic pathogen are known to secrete over 20 identified toxins that are considered its principal virulence factors. C. perfringens belongs to the anaerobic bacteria community but can also survive in the presence of oxygen. The short time between generations, the multi-production capability of toxins and heat-resistant spores, the location of many virulence genes on mobile genetic elements, and the inhabitance of this opportunistic pathogen in different ecological niches make C. perfringens a very important microorganism for public health protection. The epidemiological evidence for the association of these strains with C. perfringens–meditated food poisoning and some cases of non-foodborne diseases is very clear and well-documented. However, the genetic diversity and physiology of C. perfringens should still be studied in order to confirm the importance of suspected novel virulence traits. A very significant problem is the growing antibiotic resistance of C. perfringens strains. The aim of this review is to show the current basic information about the toxins, epidemiology, and genetic and molecular diversity of this opportunistic pathogen.
The diversity of BoNT-producing Clostridia is still a worrying problem for specialists who explore the evolutionary and taxonomic diversity of C. botulinum. It is also a problem for epidemiologists and laboratory staff conducting investigations into foodborne botulism in humans and animals, because their genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity cause complications in choosing the proper analytical tools and in reliably interpreting results. Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) are produced by several bacterial groups that meet all the criteria of distinct species. Despite this, the historical designation of C. botulinum as the one species that produces botulinum toxins is still exploited. New genetic tools such as whole-genome sequencing (WGS) indicate horizontal gene transfer and the occurrence of botulinum gene clusters that are not limited only to Clostridium spp., but also to Gram-negative aerobic species. The literature data regarding the mentioned heterogeneity of BoNT-producing Clostridia indicate the requirement to reclassify C. botulinum species and other microorganisms able to produce BoNTs or possessing botulinum-like gene clusters. The aim of this study was to present the problem of the diversity of BoNT-producing Clostridia over time and new trends toward obtaining a reliable classification of these microorganisms, based on a complex review of the literature.
Introduction Heat treatment is indispensable in fish canning to provide an acceptable shelf life. Its optimisation reduces the risk of the presence of Clostridium botulinum spores, which could potentially cause botulism cases. This study evaluated canned fish samples for botulism neurotoxin (BoNT)-producing clostridia contamination and can bulging through microbiological contaminant growth. A new analytical approach was developed for detection of such clostridia and phenotypically similar species. Material and Methods A total of 70 canned fish samples suspected of exhibiting bulging features were analysed. Culture methods were used to detect clostridia. The isolates obtained were evaluated on the basis of the exhibited phenotypic characteristics. Also, PCRs were used for the detection of genes determining BoNT production (non-toxic non-haemagglutinin (ntnh) genes) and the amplification of conservative 16S rDNA genes, which were Sanger sequenced. The obtained sequences were analysed using the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool. Results Clostridium genus species were isolated from 17 (24%) bulging and organoleptically changed samples. No ntnh genes were present in these isolates; however, sequencing confirmed the presence of C. sporogenes, a species with close affinity to C. botulinum. Conclusion To eliminate the threat of foodborne botulism, laboratory diagnostic techniques must detect species of the Clostridium genus and elucidate their ability to produce BoNTs. Although Clostridium botulinum is the most common cause of botulism, the possibility may not be ignored that non-pathogenic Clostridium species may acquire botulinum toxigenicity. The similarity between the isolated strains of C. sporogenes and C. botulinum should be incorporated in the optimisation of heat treatment to guarantee a sterilised, microbiologically safe product.
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