Clostridium perfringens toxin genotypes in the feces of healthy North Americans

Carman, Robert J.; Sayeed, Sameera; Li, Jihong; Genheimer, Christopher W.; Hiltonsmith, Megan F.; Wilkins, Tracy D.; McClane, Bruce A.

doi:10.1016/j.anaerobe.2008.01.003

Cited by 90 publications

(67 citation statements)

References 41 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Higher concentrations of C. perfringens in human feces have also been reported previously: depending on the study, the total C. perfringens concentration in human feces ranged between 10 3 /g and 10 6-7 /g in 13% − 35% of humans tested [20]. Spores of C. perfringens were also detected in the feces of 27 of 43 healthy humans (63%) at a concentration of 10 5.5 ± 6 cfu/g [22].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 62%

“…Three isolates of cpe-positive C. perfringens were detected among 43 fecal isolates of type A C. perfringens in a cohort of 23 healthy people [22]. Furthermore, Saito [23] suggested that humans are a possible reservoir for outbreaks of food poisoning caused by cpe-positive C. perfringens since five of 80 samples (6%) from the feces of food handlers were cpe-positive.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Distribution of Enterotoxin Gene-positive <i>Clostridium perfringens</i> Spores among Human and Livestock Samples and its Potential as a Human Fecal Source Tracking Indicator

Hashimoto

Tsuchioka

Higashi

et al. 2016

J. of Wat. & Envir. Tech.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In this study, to evaluate whether Clostridium perfringens could be a useful fecal indicator in aquatic environments and could be employed as a potential source-tracking indicator, the distribution of C. perfringens spores and their toxin types in sewage and livestock fecal samples were analyzed. A total of 804 C. perfringens spore isolates (366 from human-related sewage and effluents, 128 from cattle, 129 from pigs, 72 from chicken, and 109 from abattoir wastewaters) were analyzed using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect six C. perfringens toxin genes. On the basis of the presence of toxin genes, most of the isolates from both human sewage and livestock samples were determined as C. perfringens type A and they expressed cpa alone or cpa and C. perfringens enterotoxin (cpe) with or without cpb2. Moreover, cpe-positive C. perfringens was detected with frequencies of 29% and 32% in human sewage and effluents, respectively. However, only one isolate (from cattle feces) was cpe-positive among all the livestock samples tested. Thus, the distribution of cpe-positive C. perfringens should be considered an important source tracking indicator for human fecal pollution. Furthermore, we conclude that sewage effluents are a significant source of cpe-positive C. perfringens pollution.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 62%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distribution of Enterotoxin Gene-positive <i>Clostridium perfringens</i> Spores among Human and Livestock Samples and its Potential as a Human Fecal Source Tracking Indicator

Hashimoto

Tsuchioka

Higashi

et al. 2016

J. of Wat. & Envir. Tech.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Second, the demonstration that C. perfringens strains can respond to AIPs produced by other strains of this bacterium could indicate that AIPs supplied by normal gastrointestinal C. perfringens can signal disease strains to upregulate their production of toxins, like CPB, involved in intestinal infections. To this point, it is notable that previous studies (28) detected the presence of C. perfringens in the normal flora of approximately half of healthy American adults.…”

Section: Figmentioning

confidence: 99%

Structure-Function Analysis of Peptide Signaling in the Clostridium perfringens Agr-Like Quorum Sensing System

McClane

2015

J Bacteriol

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

.07925.x) that an 8-amino-acid, AgrD-derived peptide named 8-R upregulates CPB production by this QS system. The current study synthesized a series of small signaling peptides corresponding to sequences within the C. perfringens AgrD polypeptide to investigate the C. perfringens autoinducing peptide (AIP) structure-function relationship. When both linear and cyclic ring forms of these peptides were added to agrB null mutants of type B strain CN1795 or type C strain CN3685, the 5-amino-acid peptides, whether in a linear or ring (thiolactone or lactone) form, induced better signaling (more CPB production) than peptide 8-R for both C. perfringens strains. The 5-mer thiolactone ring peptide induced faster signaling than the 5-mer linear peptide. Strain-related variations in sensing these peptides were detected, with CN3685 sensing the synthetic peptides more strongly than CN1795. Consistent with those synthetic peptide results, Transwell coculture experiments showed that CN3685 exquisitely senses native AIP signals from other isolates (types A, B, C, and D), while CN1795 barely senses even its own AIP. Finally, a C. perfringens AgrD sequence-based peptide with a 6-amino-acid thiolactone ring interfered with CPB production by several C. perfringens strains, suggesting potential therapeutic applications. These results indicate that AIP signaling sensitivity and responsiveness vary among C. perfringens strains and suggest C. perfringens prefers a 5-mer AIP to initiate Agr signaling. IMPORTANCEClostridium perfringens possesses an Agr-like quorum sensing (QS) system that regulates virulence, sporulation, and toxin production. The current study used synthetic peptides to identify the structure-function relationship for the signaling peptide that activates this QS system. We found that a 5-mer peptide induces optimal signaling. Unlike other Agr systems, a linear version of this peptide (in addition to thiolactone and lactone versions) could induce signaling. Two C. perfringens strains were found to vary in sensitivity to these peptides. We also found that a 6-mer peptide can inhibit toxin production by some strains, suggesting therapeutic applications. In humans and livestock, Clostridium perfringens is a major cause of histotoxic infections, such as human gas gangrene, and intestinal infections, including enteritis and enterotoxemias (1, 2). The versatility of this Gram-positive anaerobic bacterium is largely attributable to its ability to produce ϳ17 different toxins (3-5). However, individual strains produce only portions of this toxin repertoire; this toxin production variability is used in a classification system that assigns C. perfringens isolates to one of five types (A to E) based upon their production of alpha (CPA), beta (CPB), epsilon (ETX), and iota toxins (4, 5). Each C. perfringens type is associated with certain diseases (1, 4).C. perfringens-induced diseases are not intoxications but rather true infections where the bacterium must grow and produce toxins in the host (1). There is only a relatively rudiment...

show abstract

“…The previously isolated and characterized strains (9,15,16,(24)(25)(26) used in this study are listed in Table 1; this collection included 9 CPE-positive type A FP strains, 7 CPE-positive AAD and SD type A strains, 2 CPE-negative and 3 CPEpositive type A strains from healthy Americans, 2 CPE-negative and 1 CPE-positive type C Pig-Bel strains, and 5 CPE-positive type C Db strains. CN3718, a C. perfringens type D animal disease strain that produces epsilon toxin and all three sialidases (NanJ, NanI, and NanH), was used as a positive control for the assays of sialidase activity and Caco-2 cell adherence (21).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contributions of NanI Sialidase to Caco-2 Cell Adherence by Clostridium perfringens Type A and C Strains Causing Human Intestinal Disease

McClane

2014

Infect Immun

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Previous studies showed that Clostridium perfringens type D animal disease strain CN3718 uses NanI sialidase for adhering to enterocyte-like Caco-2 cells. The current study analyzed whether NanI is similarly important when type A and C human intestinal disease strains attach to Caco-2 cells. A PCR survey determined that the nanI gene was absent from typical type A food poisoning (FP) strains carrying a chromosomal enterotoxin (CPE) gene or the genetically related type C Darmbrand (Db) strains. However, the nanI gene was present in type A strains from healthy humans, type A strains causing CPE-associated antibioticassociated diarrhea (AAD) or sporadic diarrhea (SD), and type C Pig-Bel strains. Consistent with NanI sialidase being the major C. perfringens sialidase when produced, FP and Db strains had little supernatant sialidase activity compared to other type A or C human intestinal strains. All type A and C human intestinal strains bound to Caco-2 cells, but NanI-producing strains had higher attachment levels. When produced, NanI can contribute to host cell attachment of human intestinal disease strains, since a nanI null mutant constructed in type A SD strain F4969 had lower Caco-2 cell adhesion than wild-type F4969 or a complemented strain. Further supporting a role for NanI in host cell attachment, sialidase inhibitors reduced F4969 adhesion to Caco-2 cells. Collectively, these results suggest that NanI may contribute to the intestinal attachment and colonization needed for the chronic diarrhea of CPE-associated AAD and SD, but this sialidase appears to be dispensable for the acute pathogenesis of type A FP or type C enteritis necroticans.

show abstract

Clostridium perfringens toxin genotypes in the feces of healthy North Americans

Cited by 90 publications

References 41 publications

Distribution of Enterotoxin Gene-positive <i>Clostridium perfringens</i> Spores among Human and Livestock Samples and its Potential as a Human Fecal Source Tracking Indicator

Distribution of Enterotoxin Gene-positive <i>Clostridium perfringens</i> Spores among Human and Livestock Samples and its Potential as a Human Fecal Source Tracking Indicator

Structure-Function Analysis of Peptide Signaling in the Clostridium perfringens Agr-Like Quorum Sensing System

Contributions of NanI Sialidase to Caco-2 Cell Adherence by Clostridium perfringens Type A and C Strains Causing Human Intestinal Disease

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About