沿微山湖地区神经毒素原性酪酸梭菌的土壤分布调查

为了解神经毒素原性酪酸梭菌在微山湖地区土壤的分布情况,我们采集了该地区的土壤样品进行调查。５０份土样培养上清中,有１８份（３６％）检出了肉毒毒素,经中和试验证实均为Ｅ型。从其中的７份阳性样品中分离到产毒菌株,对分离菌株进行毒性测定、生化特性检查及其神经毒素基因的ＰＣＲ检测,所有菌株均具有Ｅ型肉毒神经毒素基因并产生相应毒素,但其生化特性与Ｅ型肉毒梭菌不同,而与酪酸梭菌一致。结果说明沿微山湖地区土壤中确实存在神经毒素原性酪酸梭菌,而且阳性率很高。对神经毒素原性酪酸梭菌的分布进行流行病学调查并从土壤中分离到该病原菌,这在国际上尚属首次。     

一株D型肉毒梭菌的分离和鉴定

从我国东海地区的海泥培养物中,分离出一株厌氧性芽孢杆菌。经细菌学、毒素血清学．细菌代谢产物的气相色谱分析及DNA中G+ct001％测定,鉴定为D型肉毒梭菌,编号为D85501。与国际参考菌株D359对照,D85 501菌株具有D型肉毒梭菌的总特性,还有自身的特点,是D型肉毒梭菌中的一新株,是我国分离的首株D型肉毒梭菌。     

兰州市婴幼儿艰难梭菌带菌状况

在兰州市随机采集的２１６名健康婴幼儿粪标本经分离并对其培养特性、菌落菌体形态特征、生化反应特性以及毒素原性等进行一系列检查,检出了３７人的粪便含有艰难梭菌（１０４─１０８／ｇ）,检出总阳性率为１７．１％,新生儿、婴儿及幼儿各年龄组的检出阳性率分别为１３．５％（１９／４１）、３３．３％（１３／３９）、１３．９％（５／３６）。３７株分离菌中毒素原性阳性者仅有８株（２１．６％）,均分布于婴儿与幼儿两组。新生儿１４１人中２７人的粪标本为胎粪,只有１人（３．７％）含艰难梭菌（２×１０６／ｇ）,但不产毒素。所有婴幼儿中有２２人因各种原因曾用过抗菌药物,但仅有２人的粪便含艰难梭菌,而且均为非产毒株,表明艰难梭菌检出率与药物服用之间似无显著的相关性。     

首次自肉毒中毒食品中分离的一株产生E型肉毒毒素的酪酸梭菌

对某卫生防疫站委托本研究室分离病原菌的一份引起肉毒中毒的食品一＂黄豆冬瓜酱＂进行检测和病原菌的分离,从中再次检出了Ｅ型肉毒毒素并分离到一产毒菌种,对该菌种的生物学及生化学特性进行检查,并检测其毒素基因（ＰＣＲ试验）。结果：该分离菌能产生Ｅ型肉毒毒素,ＰＣＲ检测结果也证明其具有Ｅ型肉毒神经毒素基因,但其多项生化特性与Ｅ型肉毒梭菌有明显差异,而与酪酸梭菌完全一致。结果说明该分离菌系产生Ｅ型肉毒毒素的酪酸梭菌,而非Ｅ型肉毒梭菌。由酪酸梭菌引起的食物中毒型肉毒中毒并从中毒食品中分离到该病原菌,这在国际上尚属首次报告。     

一株A型肉毒梭状芽孢杆菌的分离与鉴定

从四川成都、重庆、若尔盖,新疆乌鲁木齐,宁夏固原共采集土样319份进行肉毒梭状芽孢杆菌的分离。在若尔盖土样中分离到一株厌氧芽孢杆菌,按《伯杰细菌鉴定手册》(第八版)的方法进行了生物学测定、生理生化试验,并测定了其DNA中G+C mol为24．9％,鉴定为肉毒梭状芽孢杆菌,经血清学试验进一步鉴定为A型肉毒梭菌,编号为As-3。     

猪瘟病毒糖蛋白E0基因的克隆及及表达研究

用ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ方法扩增分别获得了中国猪瘟病毒强毒石门株和兔化弱毒株糖蛋白Ｅ０基因ｃＤＮＡ,并克隆到ｐＧＥＭ Ｔ载体中测定其核苷酸序列和推导出其对应氨基酸序列,结果表明这两个毒 间的Ｅ０基因核苷酸序列同源性为９５．３％,氨基酸序列同源性为９４％,有１４个殖基的差异;与几个代表毒株ＡＬＤ株、ＧＰＥ株、Ｂｒｅｓｃｉａ株、Ａｌｆｏｒｔ株和国外测得的兔化弱毒Ｃ株相应序列进行比较,所测石门病毒核苷酸序列与上述     

猪瘟病毒糖蛋白E0基因的克隆及其表达研究*

用ＲＴ－ＰＣＲＡ法扩增分别获得了中国猪瘟病毒强毒石门株和免化弱毒株糖蛋白Ｅ０基因ｃＤＮＡ,并克隆到ｐＧＥＭ Ｔ载体中测定其核着酸序列和推导出其对应氨基酸序列;结果表明这两个毒株间的Ｅ０基因核着酸序列同源性为９５．３％,氨基酸序列同源性为９４％,有１４个残基的差异;与几个代表毒株ＡＬＤ株、ＧＰＥ株、Ｂｒｅｓｃｉａ株、Ａｌｆｏｒｔ株和国外测得的免化弱毒Ｃ株相应序列进行比较,所测石门病毒核苷酸序列与上述各株对应序列的同源性分别为９８．０％、９７．１％、９２．７％、８６．８％和９５．４％;氨基酸序列同源性分别为９     

霍乱毒素(CT)基因探针的构建及其对霍乱弧菌的检测

用体外DNA重组技术构建了CT基因重组质粒pMM-CTII。应用XbaI/EcoRl双酶解,琼质糖凝胶制备电泳回收含C2基因的片段,以DNA缺口转译技术用a-32P标记的CT基因探针与01群霍乱弧菌经典型及埃尔托生物型产毒株杂交为阳性,与01群霍乱弧菌非产毒株及非01群无毒株杂交为阴性。对从临床及外环境分离的埃尔托霍乱弧菌进行了检测,流行株52株,检出率为92％;抗性株50株,检出率16％。显示利用CT基因分析较噬菌体分类更确切可靠。     

24株鸡源丁酸梭菌的分离鉴定及耐药基因与毒力基因携带情况

【目的】旨在对鸡源丁酸梭菌进行分离鉴定与安全性评估。【方法】利用厌氧培养方法对源自汶上芦花鸡与SPF鸡粪便样品进行丁酸梭菌的分离与纯化,挑选可疑菌落进行微生物质谱鉴定,进一步通过16S rRNA基因测序进行鉴定,16S rRNA测序结果与NCBI核苷酸数据库中丁酸梭菌的16S rRNA序列进行同源性分析;同时,进行所有分离株对氧氟沙星、头孢吡肟等9种药物的药敏试验,利用PCR方法进行mefA等23种耐药基因扩增,基于益生菌安全要求对样品进行alpha等4种梭菌毒素基因以及typeA等4种肉毒毒素基因的测定。【结果】共分离鉴定了24株丁酸梭菌。24株均对氧氟沙星等7种抗生素表现为敏感,L-1、L-6、L-12仅对新霉素表现为中介,L-19仅对头孢吡肟表现为中介。全部菌株的mefA等16种耐药基因结果全部为阴性,sul2、flor、blaTEM 3种耐药基因全部呈阳性,tetC携带率为79.2%,cmlA携带率为45.8%,blaOXA携带率为37.5%,aadB携带率为12.5%,qnrA携带率为4.2%。PCR结果显示所有分离菌株的alpha、beta、epsilon、iota等4种梭菌毒素基因携带率0%。全部分离菌株均未携带typeA、typeB、typeE、typeF 4种肉毒毒素基因。【结论】结果表明,从未饲喂抗生素和丁酸梭菌的汶上芦花鸡与SPF鸡群中获得的24株丁酸梭菌分离株达到预期的安全性要求,可作为益生添加菌的筛选参考株。     

PCR法检测外环境水中脊髓灰质炎病毒I型基因的研究

应用聚合酶链反应（ＰＣＲ）技术检测外环境水中分离的脊髓灰质炎病毒Ｉ型（ＰＶＩ）毒株基因型,发现所分离的２２株病毒,均为疫苗ＳａｂｉｎＩ相关株,脊髓灰质炎病毒的温度敏感（Ｔ特征）试验亦提示为弱毒标,与ＰＣＲ试验相吻合,表明实施强化免疫和常规免疫后,外环境中的脊髓灰质炎病毒已被疫苗相关株循环所取代,同时证实用了ＰＣＲ作为相环境中ＰＶＩ病毒株的基因型分析的检测方法是特异和敏感的。     

Investigation of animal botulism outbreaks by PCR and standard methods

Abstract A double PCR procedure is proposed for identification of Clostridium botulinum C and D. This method consists of a first PCR amplification with a degenerate primer pair able to amplify a 340 bp common DNA fragment from botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) C1 and D genes, followed by two subsequent PCR amplifications with two primer pairs specific for BoNT/C1 and D respectively (198 bp DNA fragment). This method was found to be specific for C. botulinum C and D, amongst 81 strains of C. botulinum and 21 different species of other Clostridium and bacteria tested. The detection limit ranged from 10 to 10³ bacteria in the reaction volume according to the C. botulinum C and D strains. In 160 naturally contaminated animal and food samples submitted to a 48 h enrichment culture, the double PCR showed an 89.4% correlation rate with the standard mouse bioassay. A clear distinction between botulism type C and D was obtained. The double PCR provides a reliable alternative for detection and identification of C. botulinum C and D in clinical and food samples.     

Study of the presence of the spores of Clostridium botulinum in honey in Brazil

The isolation of Clostridium botulinum from honey samples is described. Botulism is characterized as an intoxication provoked by ingestion of contaminated foods with this toxin. Infant botulism happens by the ingestion of spores of C. botulinum together with food that in special conditions of the intestinal tract, such as those present in babies of less than 1 year old, will allow the germination and colonization of the intestine with production and absorption of botulinic toxin. The samples were subjected to dilution and to a thermal shock and cultivated in modified CMM (Difco). Cultures were subjected to Gram smears and toxicity tests in mice. The toxic cultures were purified in RFCA (Oxoid) plates and incubated in anaerobic jars. Positive samples were typed using the mouse assay neutralization test. From the 85 honey samples analyzed, six were positive for C. botulinum (7.06%), and identified as producers of type A, B, and D toxins.     

Evaluation of a monoclonal antibody-based immunoassay for detecting type A Clostridium botulinum toxin produced in pure culture and an inoculated model cured meat system

A monoclonal antibody-based amplified enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method for detecting Clostridium botulinum type A toxin was evaluated for its ability to detect the toxin in the supernatant fluid of pure cultures and after growth from Cl. botulinum spores inoculated into pork slurries. Slurries containing NaCl (1.5-4.5% w/v) and polyphosphate (0.3% w/v) were either unheated or heated, 80 degrees C/5 min + 70 degrees C/2 h, before storage at 15 degrees, 20 degrees or 27 degrees C. The presence of specific toxin was confirmed by mouse bioassay and results compared with those of the amplified ELISA method. A total of 49 strains, 39 Cl. botulinum and 10 Cl. sporogenes (putrefactive anaerobes), and 95 slurry samples were tested. Fourteen of 15 strains of type A Cl. botulinum and 34 of 36 slurry samples containing type A toxin were positive by ELISA. No false positive reactions occurred with Cl. botulinum types B, C, D, E and F, or with the 10 strains of Cl. sporogenes. However, toxin produced by one strain of Cl. botulinum type A (NCTC 2012) was not detected by the amplified ELISA.     

Neurotoxin gene profiling of clostridium botulinum types C and D native to different countries within Europe

Clostridium botulinum types C and D, as well as their mosaic variants C-D and D-C, are associated with avian and mammalian botulism. This study reports on the development of low-density macroarrays based on the GeneDisc cycler platform (Pall-GeneDisc Technologies) applied to the simultaneous detection of the C. botulinum subtypes C, C-D, D, and D-C. The limit of detection of the PCR assays was 38 fg of total DNA, corresponding to 15 genome copies. Artificially contaminated samples of cecum showed a limit of detection below 50 spores/g. The tests were performed with a large variety of bacterial strains, including C. botulinum types C (n = 12), C-D (n = 29), D (n = 5), and D-C (n = 10), other botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT)-producing Clostridium strains (n = 20), non-BoNT-producing clostridia (n = 20), and other bacterial species (n = 23), and showed a high specificity. These PCR assays were compared to previously published real-time PCRs for the detection of C. botulinum in 292 samples collected from cases of botulism events in four European regions. The majority of the samples originated from wild birds (n = 108), poultry (n = 60), and bovines (n = 56). Among the 292 samples, 144 were positive for either the bont/C-D or the bont/D-C gene by using the GeneDisc arrays. The reliability of the results tallied to 97.94%. Interestingly, only BoNT mosaics, types C-D and D-C, were found in naturally contaminated samples whatever their animal origin and their geographical location. Further investigations should now be performed in order to check that mosaic types dominate in Europe and that acquisition of mosaic types helps in survival or adaptation to particular niche.     

Rapid and simple detection of Clostridium botulinum types A and B by loop-mediated isothermal amplification

Aims:  To develop a convenient and rapid detection method for toxigenic Clostridium botulinum types A and B using a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method.
Methods and results:  The LAMP primer sets for the type A or B botulinum neurotoxin gene, BoNT / A or BoNT / B , were designed. To determine the specificity of the LAMP assay, a total of 14 C. botulinum strains and 17 other Clostridium strains were tested. The assays for the BoNT/A or BoNT/B gene detected only type A or B C. botulinum strains, respectively, but not other types of C. botulinum or strains of other Clostridium species. Using purified chromosomal DNA, the sensitivity of LAMP for the BoNT/A or BoNT/B gene was 1 pg or 10 pg of DNA per assay, respectively. The assay times needed to detect 1 ng of DNA were only 23 and 22 min for types A and B, respectively. In food samples, the detection limit per reaction was one cell for type A and 10 cells for type B.
Conclusions:  The LAMP is a sensitive, specific and rapid detection method for C. botulinum types A and B.
Significance and Impact of the Study:  The LAMP assay would be useful for detection of C. botulinum in environmental samples.     

Evaluation of a monoclonal antibody-based immunoassay for detecting type A Clostridium botulinum toxin produced in pure culture and an inoculated model cured meat system

A monoclonal antibody-based amplified enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method for detecting Clostridium botulinum type A toxin was evaluated for its ability to detect the toxin in the supernatant fluid of pure cultures and after growth from Cl. botulinum spores inoculated into pork slurries. Slurries containing NaCl (1.5–4.5% w/v) and polyphosphate (0.3% w/v) were either unheated or heated, 80°C/5 min + 70°C/2 h, before storage at 15°, 20° or 27°C. The presence of specific toxin was confirmed by mouse bioassay and results compared with those of the amplified ELISA method. A total of 49 strains, 39 Cl. botulinum and 10 Cl. sporogenes (putrefactive anaerobes), aiid 95 slurry samples were tested. Fourteen of 15 strains of type A Cl. botulinum and 34 of 36 slurry samples containing type A toxin were positive by ELISA. No false positive reactions occurred with Cl. botulinum types B, C, D, E and F, or with the 10 strains of Cl. sporogenes. However, toxin produced by one strain of Cl. botulinum type A (NCTC 2012) was not detected by the amplified ELISA.     

Evaluation of a monoclonal antibody-based immunoassay for detecting type B Clostridium botulinum toxin produced in pure culture and an inoculated model cured meat system

A monoclonal antibody-based amplified ELISA method for detecting Clostridium botulinum type B toxin was evaluated for its ability to detect the toxin in the supernatant fluid of pure cultures and after growth from Cl. botulinum spores inoculated into pork slurries. Slurries containing NaCl (1.5-4.5% w/v) and polyphosphate (0.3% w/v) were either unheated or heated 80 degrees C/5 min followed by 70 degrees C/2 h before incubation at 15 degrees, 20 degrees or 27 degrees C. Presence of specific toxin was confirmed by mouse bioassay and results were compared with those of the amplified ELISA method. A total of 48 strains, consisting of 38 Cl. botulinum and 10 Cl. sporogenes (putrefactive anaerobes), and 140 slurry samples were tested. Cultures of eight out of nine strains of type B Cl botulinum and 73 of 101 slurry samples containing type B toxin were positive by ELISA; the remaining 28 slurry samples contained type B toxin at levels below or close to the detection limit (20 LD50/ml) of the type B ELISA. No false-positive reactions occurred with Cl. botulinum types A, C, D, E or F, or with the 10 strains of Cl. sporogenes. Toxin produced by one strain of Cl. botulinum type B (NCTC 3807) was not detected by this single monoclonal antibody-based amplified ELISA. With a mixture of two monoclonal antibodies, however, the toxin from NCTC 3807 could be detected without reducing the sensitivity of the ELISA.     

Examination of Prepared Foods in Plastic Packages for Clostridium botulinum

The incidence of Clostridium botulinum organisms was determined in a variety of plastic-packaged "vulnerable" foods (food requiring little or no heating prior to consumption). A total of 113 foods were examined by use of an enrichment recovery procedure followed by toxin testing in animals. Results of the survey indicate that the incidence of C. botulinum organisms in these vulnerable foods is extremely low. The ability of inoculated food products to support growth and toxigenesis of C. botulinum type E was then tested. The 64 packaged foods were inoculated with type E spores and incubated anaerobically at 30 C for 11 days. A slurry of each food was prepared, smears for fluorescent-antibody testing were made, and animal tests were performed for toxin. If the animal tests were negative, enrichment cultures were prepared from the slurry and incubated at 30 C. On direct examination of the slurries for toxin, only samples of turkey roll and soybean cake supported growth and toxigenesis by C. botulinum type E. However, the enrichment culture method was able to induce growth and toxin production in 60 of the remaining 62 samples.     

Identification and typing of food-borne Staphylococcus aureus by PCR-based techniques

The possibility of using PCR for rapid identification of food-borne Staphylococcus aureus isolates was evaluated as an alternative to the API-Staph system. A total of 158 strains, 15 S. aureus, 12 other staphylococcal species, and 131 isolates recovered from 164 food samples were studied. They were phenotypically characterized by API-Staph profiles and tested for PCR amplification with specific primers directed to thermonuclease (nuc) and enterotoxin (sea to see) genes. Disagreement between the PCR results and API-Staph identification was further assessed by the analysis of randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) profiles obtained with three universal primers (M13, T3, and T7) and 16S rDNA sequencing. Forty out of 131 isolates (31%) tested positive for PCR enterotoxin. Of these, 14 (11%) were positive for sea, 22 (17%) for sec, one (0.8%) for sed, and three (2.2%) for sea and sec. No amplification corresponding to seb nor see was obtained. Cluster analysis based on RAPD profiles revealed that most of the sec positive food isolates grouped together in three clusters. Cluster analysis combining the three RAPD fingerprints (M 13, T3, and T7), PCR-enterotoxin genotype and API-Staph profiles, grouped the nuc PCR positive isolates together with S. aureus reference strains and the nuc PCR negative isolates with reference strains of other staphylococcal species. The only nuc PCR positive food isolate that remained unclustered was a sed positive strain identified by 16S rDNA sequence as S. simulans. The high concordance between S. aureus and nuc PCR positive strains (99%) corroborates the specificity of the primers used and the suitability of nuc PCR for rapid identification of S. aureus in routine food analysis.     

Persistence and mobility of a Clostridium botulinum spore population introduced to soil with spiked compost

In a recent study it could be shown that compost samples can contain Clostridium botulinum. It was investigated if C. botulinum introduced with compost into botulinum-free soil can persist and be translocated within the soil. Compost was spiked with two C. botulinum type D spore concentrations (10(3) and 10(5) spores g(-1)) and the composts were spread on an experimental site. Over a period of 939 days, samples were taken from the upper (0-5 cm) and the lower (10-30 cm) soil horizons. Physical and chemical as well as microbiological variables were measured. Clostridium botulinum spores were quantified in a culture MPN-PCR assay. On day 757 the last positive sample was obtained in the plots with the lower spore concentration (10(3) g(-1)). The bacteria were never detected in the samples taken from the lower horizons of these plots. Clostridium botulinum persisted over the whole investigation period in the plots which were treated with compost spiked with 10(5) spores g(-1). The concentrations found were between 20 and 20,000 spores g(-1) soil. The bacteria were vertically translocated and could be found in the lower soil horizons (20-2000 spores g(-1) soil) starting 70 days after the compost was spread.