BACILLUS CEREUS PATHOGENICITY: A REVIEW |
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| Authors: | CHRISTOPHE FERMANIAN JEAN-MARC FREMY CECILE LAHELLEC |
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| Affiliation: | Laboratoire Central d'Hygiène Alimentaire Centre National d'Etudes Vétérinaires et Alimentaires 43 rue de Dantzig, 75015 Paris, France |
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| Abstract: | Pathogenic Bacillus cereus can be routinely isolated and identified in the laboratory from foods and other sources. Typing of B. cereus strains implicated in food poisoning outbreaks is helpful for confirmation of the origin of the outbreak and for epidemiological studies. Data concerning vegetative growth and spores are given. Different types of toxin are produced by B. cereus in the course of its growth: a so-called diarrheal enterotoxin and an emetic heat-stable toxin; their biochemical characteristics and the systems used for their detection are reviewed. Different types of hemolysins and phospholipases C are also produced and may play a role in pathogenicity. Nongastrointestinal infections were also traced to this species. |
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