Distribution of Enterotoxigenic Clostridium perfringens in Water and Soil in the Southern Part of Hokkaido

Abstract

The distribution and enterotoxin production of Clostridium perfringens in water and soil samples from various sources in the southern part of Hokkaido were investigated.
In addition, Hobbs' serological typing of isolates from these samples was performed by the agglutination test using the Hobbs' types 1 to 17 antisera.
C. perfringens was detected in 42.9% (27/63) of water samples heated at 75°C for 20min, and in 12.7% (8/63) of samples at 100°C for 60min. Enterotoxigenic strains were detected in 7.2% (8/111) of isolates from the former group and in 6.1% (2/33) from the latter group.
The organisms were also detected in 83.3% (25/30) of soil samples heated at 75°C for 20min, and in 6.7% (2/30) of samples at 100°C for 60min.
Of the isolates from these samples, 1.7% (1/60) and 14.3% (1/7), respectively, were enterotoxigenic.
Hobbs' serotype strains were detected in 10.1% (16/158) of isolates from water samples, and in 16.9% (14/83) of isolates from soil samples. A total of 30 Hobbs' serotype strains detected in water and soil samples were also divided into 6 serotypes.