Bacillus cereus and Bacillus thuringiensis isolated in a gastroenteritis outbreak investigation

• DOI: 10.1111/j.1472-765x.1995.tb01017.x
• Publication Date: 2008-03-19T16:33:16Z
• Authors: S.G. Jackson; R.B. Goodbrand; R. Ahmed; S. Kasatiya
• Keywords: Ontario; 0301 basic medicine; Cross Infection; Cytotoxins; Bacillus thuringiensis; Bacillaceae Infections; Disease Outbreaks; Gastroenteritis; 3. Good health; Enterotoxins; Feces; Norwalk virus; 03 medical and health sciences; Bacillus cereus; Humans; Spices; Bacteriophage Typing; Caliciviridae Infections

During investigation of a gastroenteritis outbreak in a chronic care institution, Norwalk virus was found in stool specimens from two individuals and bacterial isolates presumptively identified as Bacillus cereus were isolated from four individuals (including one with Norwalk virus) and spice. Phage typing confirmed all Bacillus clinical isolates were phage type 2. All clinical isolates were subsequently identified as B. thuringiensis when tested as a result of a related study (L. Leroux, personal communication). Eight of 10 spice isolates were phage type 4. All B. cereus and B. thuringiensis isolates showed cytotoxic effects characteristic of enterotoxin-producing B. cereus. An additional 20 isolates each of B. cereus and B. thuringiensis from other sources were tested for cytotoxicity. With the exception of one B. cereus, all showed characteristic cytotoxic patterns.