Characterization of enterotoxin producing Clostridium perfringens isolated from foods of animal origin

Screening of 105 samples comprising of milk, meat and their products for isolation of Clostridium perfringens revealed a total of 39 (37.14%) samples to be positive for C. perfringens, yielding an equal number of isolates. Among the total isolates, 11 (20.0%) belonged to milk and milk products, of which 10 were isolated from raw cow's milk. The remaining isolate was from paneer sample. Similarly, 28 (56.0%) C. perfringens isolates were recovered from meat and meat products. Majority (37) of the isolates belonged to toxin type A while two isolates recovered each from raw beef and chicken meats were of toxin type C. Among the 39 isolates of C. perfringens, only 5(12.82%) isolates could reveal the presence of cpe (enterotoxin) gene. The protein profile (SDS-PAGE) of both the crude and partially purified enterotoxins prepared from cpe positive C. perfringens isolates (type A and C) revealed a very little difference. Both the partially purified enterotoxins of type A and C of C. perfringens displayed almost similar type of cytopathic effects (CPE) and death of cells in Vero cell line.