Survival of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Clostridium perfringens</Emphasis>During Simulated Transport and Stability of Some Plasmid-borne Toxin Genes under Aerobic Conditions

Clostridium perfringens is a pathogen of great concern in veterinary medicine, because it causes enteric diseases and different types of toxaemias in domesticated animals. It is important that bacteria in tissue samples, which have been collected in the field, survive and for the classification of C. perfringens into the correct toxin group, it is crucial that plasmid-borne genes are not lost during transportation or in the diagnostic laboratory. The objectives of this study were to investigate the survival of C. perfringens in a simulated transport of field samples and to determine the stability of the plasmid-borne toxin genes cpb1 and etx after storage at room temperature and at 4°C. Stability of the plasmid-borne genes cpb1 and etx of C. perfringens CCUG 2035, and cpb2 from C. perfringens CIP 106526, JF 2255 and 6 field isolates in aerobic atmosphere was also studied. Survival of C. perfringens was similar in all experiments. The cpb1 and etx genes were detected in all isolates from samples stored either at room temperature or at 4°C for 24–44 h. Repeated aerobic treatment of C. perfringens CCUG 2035 and CIP 106526 did not result in the loss of the plasmid-borne genes cpb1, cpb2 or etx. Plasmid-borne genes in C. perfringens were found to be more stable than generally reported. Therefore, C. perfringens toxinotyping by PCR can be performed reliably, as the risk of plasmid loss seems to be a minor problem.     

Toward a New Generation of Environmental Technology: The Need For Legislative Reform

Given near unanimity in the environmental and industrial communities about the need for a new generation of environmental technology, the policy process unfortunately lags behind in moving toward this objective. This article examines causes and remedies for this gap in the context of American environmental policy. U.S. environmental laws continue to be pervaded by structural biases against new technology, and the complexity of their administration exacerbates the problem. Within the last few years, several important reform initiatives have arisen from inside the regulatory community; however, these can only go so far, given the current statutory framework Congress, too long quiescent, needs to become involved. A legislative reform package is proposed consisting of four main elements: a legislative mandate that makes promotion of technological innovation an explicit environmental objective; elimination of structural features in current law that impede innovation; creation of a new framework for standard-setting and enforcement that puts every firm on a trajectory toward environmental and technological improvement; and enlisting regulation as a "demand-pull" for environmentally superior technology.