Detection of enterotoxigenic Clostridium perfringens type: a in camel meat

ABSTRACT

Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin [CPE] is an important sporulation associated virulence factor in several illnesses of humans and domestic animals. In the present investigation 169 camel meat samples were collected from small butcher's shop- where C. perfringens type A was identified with an incidence of 33.7% only 5.9% had detectable enterotoxin. The meat samples tested had MPN per gram values ranging from 0 to 35, determination of spore heat resistance for cpe positive C. perfringene type A isolates varied between logs 1.3 to log 5.07 at different time intervals. The current study has used PCR assays to detect cpe production in gene as a method for determining the enterotoxigenicity of C. perfringens isolates. Results showed that PCR is suitable for detection of C. perfringens enterotoxin from raw meat