Abstract
The fate of Clostridium perfringens was observed in the intestine of guinea pigs having ingested this organism orally. Vegetative cells of C. perfringens ingested were found in the feces between 4 and 15hr later, but not 24hr later. From the number of these cells contained in the feces it was suggested that C. perfringens might not have proliferated in the intestine. When spores of this organism were administered to guinea pigs, they appeared in the feces 3hr later and were detected for 4 days, but disappeared on the 5th day after administration. The ratio of heat-resistant cells to total cells found in the feces indicated that some of the spores germinated but did not proliferate in the intestine.
From experiments on the survival of the organism in a medium made from the intestinal juice, it was suggested that the bacterial flora and some substance(s) in the juice, which were filtrable through Millipore filter but destroyed by heating, might kill C. perfringens or inhibit the growth of it. This organism was detected from the ileum, colon and rectum of guinea pigs 24hr after administration with its spores, but not from any part of the intestine of control animals. In guinea pigs given spores of C. perfringens no marked changes were observed in any constituent of the intestinal flora, except C. perfringens.
