Molecular typing of Clostridium perfringens isolated from minced meat

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the presence of toxin genes in Clostridium perfringens isolated from 200minced meat samples using molecular typing. For this purpose, after isolation of Clostridium perfringens using conventional culture method and confirmation by specific 16Srd NA gene PCR, alpha (cpa), beta (cpb), beta 2 (cpb2),epsilon (etx), iota (iA) and enterotoxin (cpe) genes were investigated by multiplex PCR.Out of 200 minced meat samples, 25 (12.5%) were determined as contaminated with C. perfringens and m-PCR results demonstrated that, out of these 25 isolates, 18 (81 %) possessed only the cpa gene (type A), while 4 (18 %) carried the cpa and cpb2 toxin genes (type A-cpb2+). Furthermore, the results showed1 isolate (4 %) as type B, 1 isolate (4 %) as type D and 1 isolate (4 %) as type E. This study reports the first cpb2 positive type B of C. perfringens in minced meat. Our results also indicate that C. perfringens type A is the most common type in minced meat.