We studied the effectiveness of PCR in detecting type A, B, and E botulism neurotoxin genes 209 strains Clostridium botulinum 29 other spp. All 79 that produced A toxin, 77 B 51 organisms toxin (46 C. 5 butyricum) were positive reactions with primers targeting sequences specific for their respective genes. The was one toxin-producing strain a small amount addition to large toxin. Surprisingly, gene detected 43 strains, only 1 which could be shown by bioassay produce biologically active...

Two unconnected cases of type E botulism involving a 19-year-old woman and 9-year-old child are described. The hospital courses their illness were similar included initial acute abdominal pain accompanied by progressive neurological impairment. Both patients suspected having appendicitis underwent laparotomy, during which voluminous Meckel's diverticula resected. Unusual neurotoxigenic Clostridium butyricum strains that produced botulinum-like toxin isolated from the feces patients. These...

Plasmids that encode certain subtypes of the botulinum neurotoxin type B have recently been detected in some Clostridium strains. The objective present study was to investigate frequency with which plasmid carriage gene (bont/B) occurs strains C. B, Ab, and A(B), whether is bont/B subtype-related.PCR-Restriction fragment length polymorphism employed identify gene. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis Southern blot hybridization specific probes were performed analyze genomic location subtype...

From the Food Laboratory, National Reference Center of Botulism, Institute Health, Rome, Italy. Accepted for publication April 28, 2002. Address reprints: 00161 Fax 39 06 49387101; E-mail [email protected].

Internalin A (InlA), a cell wall-bound protein of Listeria monocytogenes, is among the major components involved in adhesion to and invasion host cells expressing specific forms E-cadherin. Some L. monocytogenes strains secrete truncated non-functional InlA. The purpose this study compare biofilm-forming abilities from clinical sources InlA proteins different forms. total 70 were examined using SDS-PAGE, Western blot, DNA sequencing, microtitre plate biofilm formation assays. We found that 8...

The antagonistic activity against gastrointestinal bacterial pathogens is an important property of probiotic bacteria and a desirable feature for pre-selection novel strains with potential. Pre-screening candidate probiotics antibacterial should be based on in vitro vivo tests. This study investigated whether the protective can evaluated using Galleria mellonella larvae as model. Larvae were pre-inoculated either two widely used bacteria, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG or Clostridium butyricum...

We describe a strategy to identify the clusters of genes encoding components botulinum toxin type A (boNT/A) complexes in 57 strains Clostridium types A, Ab, and A(B) isolated Italy United States from different sources. Specifically, we combined results PCR for detecting ha33 and/or p47 with those boNT/A PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Three gene were revealed; A1 was predominant among States, whereas A2 predominated Italian strains, suggesting geographic distinction...

A PCR was developed and applied for the detection of Clostridium botulinum type C in 18 avian environmental samples collected during an outbreak botulism, results were compared with those obtained by conventional methodologies based on mouse bioassay. bioassay well (100%) after enrichment samples, but directly indicated presence this microorganism six while only one these contained botulinal neurotoxin before enrichment. The assay sensitive (limit between 15 x 10(3) spores per PCR), specific...

ABSTRACT A total of 32 Listeria monocytogenes strains (16 from a recent outbreak invasive listeriosis and 16 two outbreaks noninvasive listeriosis, all three occurring in Italy) were characterized by PCR-ribotyping, arbitrarily primed PCR (AP-PCR), the recently developed infrequent-restriction-site (IRS-PCR). The discriminatory ability techniques, first evaluated on 29 unrelated L. food isolates using Simpson's index diversity, was 0.714 for 0.690 AP-PCR, 0.919 IRS-PCR. IRS-PCR also more...

The partial nucleotide sequence ( approximately 10 kb) of the cluster genes encoding botulinum neurotoxin complex in Clostridium type A strain Mascarpone was determined. analysis revealed six ORFs (orfs), which were organized as A2 and A3 gene clusters strains Kyoto-F NCTC 2916, respectively. While orfs at proximal distal ends (orfX2 bont/A genes) shared a high level similarity with corresponding sequences Kyoto-F, segment encompassing orfX1 botR/A within exhibited higher degree homology to...

A rare strain of Clostridium botulinum subtype Ab was isolated from a canned macrobiotic food suspected being linked to fatal case food-borne botulism. The recovered and identified by conventional methods modified the inclusion PCR assay (G. Franciosa, J.L. Ferreira, C.L. Hatheway, J. Clin. Microbiol. 32:1911-1917, 1994). titers neurotoxins produced were evaluated mouse bioassay.

We analyzed 27 Listeria monocytogenes strains of serotypes 1/2b and 4b, from invasive gastroenteric listeriosis, for molecular experimental virulence. Molecular virulence was tested by PCR the presence 8 major virulence-associated genes genetic polymorphisms through restriction enzyme analysis; genomic DNA typing using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis also performed. Experimental evaluated intra-peritoneal intra-gastric mouse assays. Our results showed no significant differences in...

We determined the genetic maps of megaplasmids six neutoroxigenic Clostridium butyricum type E strains from Italy using molecular and bioinformatics techniques. The are circular, not linear as we had previously proposed. differently-sized share a region that includes structural, metabolic regulatory genes. In addition, found 168 kb is present only in larger two tested strains, whereas it absent smaller four remaining strains. unique to contains, among other features, locus for clustered...

Botulism is a rare, severe, neuroparalytic disease. Four forms of botulism are described in humans: foodborne and the more recently wound botulism, infant ‘infant-like’ botulism. The two last sometimes grouped un