Clostridium perfringens toxin types from wild-caught Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua L.), determined by PCR and ELISA

Epidemiology and diagnostic accuracy of Clostridium perfringens toxins in the intestinal contents of camels, sheep, and cattle: a cross-sectional study in Dakahlia governorate, Egypt

This study aimed to establish an accurate epidemiological surveillance tool for the detection of different C. perfringens types from 76 diseased and 34 healthy animals in Dakhalia Governorate, Egypt. A total of 110 intestinal content samples were randomly collected from camels, sheep, and cattle. C. perfringens was isolated and biochemically identified by the VITEK2 system. Toxinotyping and genotyping of C. perfringens isolates were specified by a multiscreen ELISA and real-time qPCR (rt-qPCR). The occurrence of C. perfringens was highest among camels (20% in healthy and 25% in diseased) and was lowest in cattle (23.1% and 14.7%). The cpa toxin was detected in all isolates by rt-qPCR and in 7 isolates by ELISA, ext toxin was detected in 7 isolates by rt-qPCR and in 6 isolates by ELISA, and cpb toxin was detected in 2 isolates by both rt-qPCR and ELISA. Four types of C. perfringens were identified by rt-qPCR, type A (65.2%), B (4.3%), C (4.3%), and D (26.1%), and three types by ELISA, type D (17.4%), A (8.7%) and C (4.3%). Our study indicated the prevalence of infection in Dakahlia by C. perfringens type A and D, particularly camels, and recommends adopting an appropriate vaccination strategy among the studied animals.

Advances in aptamer-based biosensors for monitoring foodborne pathogens

Biosensors are analytical devices for detecting a wide range of targets, including cells, proteins, DNA, enzymes, and chemical and biological compounds. They mostly rely on using bioprobes with a high binding affinity to the target for specific detection. However, low specificity and effectiveness of the conventional biosensors has led to the search for novel materials, that can specifically detect biomolecules. Aptamers are a group of single-stranded DNA or RNA oligonucleotides, that can bind to their targets with high specificity and serve as effective bioprobes for developing aptamer-based biosensors. Aptamers have a shorter production time, high stability, compared to traditional bioprobes, and possess ability to develop them for specific target molecules for tailored applications. Thus, various aptasensing approaches, including electrochemical, optical, surface plasmon resonance and chip-dependent approaches, have been investigated in recent times for various biological targets, including foodborne pathogens. Hence, this article is an overview of various conventional foodborne pathogen detection methods, their limitations and the ability of aptamer-based biosensors to overcome those limitations and replace them. In addition, the current status and advances in aptamer-based biosensors for the detection of foodborne pathogens to ensure food safety were also discussed.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-023-05889-8.

Prevalence and multilocus sequence typing of Clostridium perfringens isolated from retail chicken products and diseased chickens in Tai'an region, China

Background

Clostridium perfringens is an important zoonotic microorganism, which can cause diseases in animals and humans under suitable conditions. Contamination of C. perfringens in chicken products has been reported worldwide, but the genetic diversity and relationship of isolates were seldom analyzed.

Objectives

The current study was undertaken to investigate the prevalence of C. perfringens from retail chicken products and sick chickens with suspected necrotic enteritis (NE) in Tai'an area, China.

Methods

In total, 295 samples were collected from Tai'an large poultry retail market and veterinary hospital in 2018, then the isolates were tested for toxin genes, drug resistance and multilocus sequence typing (MLST).

Results

Overall, 138 (46.78%) samples were determined to be positive for C. perfringens, and 99.37% of the isolates were identified as C. perfringens type A, with the remaining isolates being type F; 18.99% of the isolates were positive for cpb2 gene. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed that 52.27% of the isolates from poultry retail market and diseased chickens showed multiple antibiotic resistance. MLST results showed that 50 analyzed isolates can be divided into 39 sequences types (STs), clustered in three clonal complexes (CCs) and 23 singletons. Although most of the isolates belong to type A, considerable genetic diversity can be observed, with the Simpson's diversity index up to 0.9181. MLST results and phylogenetic analysis showed that a portion of the isolates from humans and chickens were assigned to the same clusters in the phylogenetic tree or found to be in the same CCs, indicating the chicken isolates and the human isolates are related in certain stratification.

Conclusions

This study showed that the contamination rate of C. perfringens in the local retail chicken products was relatively high. Most of the isolates exhibit broad‐spectrum antimicrobial resistance. The high antibiotic resistance of C. perfringens isolates and the relationship between isolates from human and chicken indicated potential public health risks.

Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus Reduces the Pathogenicity of Escherichia coli in Chickens

Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus is a recognized probiotic that is widely used in scientific research and clinical applications. This study found that the Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) strain can reduce the adhesion of Escherichia coli (E. coli) to primary chicken intestinal epithelial cells by 75.7% and inhibit 41.7% of the E. coli that adhere to intestinal epithelial cells. Additionally, LGG showed strong inhibitory ability on the growth of E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella Paratyphi B, and Salmonella Enteritidis in vitro. Furthermore, the influence of LGG on the growth performance, intestinal flora, immunity, and disease resistance of chickens was explored. Chickens fed with LGG exhibited increased average daily weight gain and concentrations of sIgA, IgG, and IgM than did controls. After 21 days of feeding, a diet with LGG increased the diversity of intestinal microbiota and maintained intestinal health. Moreover, LGG promoted immunologic barriers by upregulating cytokines and chemokines via the Toll-like receptor. The major pro-inflammatory factors, including Myd88, NF-κB, Il6, and Il8, were upregulated compared to controls. After being challenged with E. coli, the survival rate of chickens fed with LGG was significantly higher than those in the control group, and decreased numbers of E. coli were detected in the heart and lungs of the LGG group. In summary, oral administration of LGG to chickens could improve growth performance, maintain intestinal homeostasis, and enhance innate immune response and disease resistance.

Tracing Clostridium perfringens strains along the chicken production chain from farm to slaughter by multilocus sequence typing

The current study is undertaken to characterize the prevalence, genotypes distribution, antibiotic resistance and genetic diversity of Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) collected from different stages of a chicken production chain. In total, 579 samples from a broiler farm and 378 samples from the slaughterhouse were collected from a large-scale rearing and slaughter one-stop enterprise in Weifang, China, between June and July 2019, of which 30.40% of the samples from farm and 54.50% of samples from slaughterhouse were determined to be positive for C. perfringens, respectively. The contamination of chicken products was relatively serious, with the total positive rate of carcasses at 59.73%; the positive rate of carcass samples was the highest in the evisceration process, which might be the critical point of C. perfringens contamination. A total of 476 isolates of C. perfringens were recovered; and 99.58% of recovered isolates were identified as type A, with the remaining isolates being type G. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed that 97.15% of the isolates showed multiple antibiotic resistance and 67.89% of them were resistant to at least five classes of commonly used antibiotics. Multilocus sequence typing results of 91 representative isolates showed that the isolates can be divided into 74 sequences types (STs); 40.66% of the isolates can be included into seven clonal complexes (CCs). Although most of the isolates were classified as type A, considerable genetic diversity was observed, with the Simpson's diversity index of ST up to 0.9902. Some isolates from farm stage and slaughter stage were distributed in the same ST or CC, indicating that chicken products may be contaminated by the same ST or CC of C. perfringens originated from the farm stage. The high contamination rates of chicken products and the widespread multiple antibiotic resistance of isolates indicated potential public health risks, control measures at rearing and slaughtering stage should be considered to reduce this risk.

Gut microbiota metagenomics in aquaculture: factors influencing gut microbiome and its physiological role in fish

Fish gut microbiome confers various effects to the host fish; this includes overall size, metabolism, feeding behaviour and immune response in the fish. The emergence of antimicrobial‐resistant (AMR) bacteria and hard to cure fish diseases warrant the possible utilization of gut microbes that exhibits a positive effect on the fish and thus lead to the usage of these microbes as probiotics. The widespread and systematic use of antibiotics has led to severe biological and ecological problems, especially the development of antibiotic resistance that affects the gut microbiota of aquatic organisms. Probiotics are proposed as an effective and environmentally friendly alternative to antibiotics, known as beneficial microbes. At the same time, prebiotics are considered beneficial to the host's health and growth by decreasing the prevalence of intestinal pathogens and/or changing the development of bacterial metabolites related to health. Uprise of sequencing technology and the development of intricate bioinformatics tools has provided a way to study these gut microbes through metagenomic analysis. From various metagenomic studies, ample of information was obtained; such information includes the effect of the gut microbiome on the physiology of fish, gut microbe composition of different fish, factors affecting the gut microbial composition of the fish and the immunological effect of gut microbes in fish; such this information related to the fish gut microbiome, their function and their importance in aquaculture is discussed in this review.

The Gut Microbiota of Marine Fish

The body of work relating to the gut microbiota of fish is dwarfed by that on humans and mammals. However, it is a field that has had historical interest and has grown significantly along with the expansion of the aquaculture industry and developments in microbiome research. Research is now moving quickly in this field. Much recent focus has been on nutritional manipulation and modification of the gut microbiota to meet the needs of fish farming, while trying to maintain host health and welfare. However, the diversity amongst fish means that baseline data from wild fish and a clear understanding of the role that specific gut microbiota play is still lacking. We review here the factors shaping marine fish gut microbiota and highlight gaps in the research.

Nanotechnology: Review of concepts and potential application of sensing platforms in food safety

In recent years a number of new nanotechnology based platforms have been developed for detection of wide variety of targets including infectious agents, protein biomarkers, nucleic acids, drugs, and cancer cells. Nanomaterials such as magnetic nanoparticles, quantum dots, carbon nanotubes, nanowires, and nanosensors like giant magnetoresistance (GMR) sensors are used to quantitatively detect biomolecules with, experimentally, relatively good accuracy. There has been a growing interest in the use of magnetic fields in biosensing applications. Because biological samples have no ferromagnetic property and therefore there is no interference with complex sample matrix, detection of infectious agents from minimally processed samples is possible. Here, we provide a brief overview of the recent emergence of nanotechnology-based techniques for the detection and monitoring of foodborne diseases. In addition, the potential applications and future perspectives of nanotechnology on food safety are discussed. Ultimately, the review is expected to stimulate and provide directions to the development and application of nanotechnology-based tests for the early detection, and eventual control of foodborne diseases.

Enterotoxemia Associated with Beta2 Toxin–Producing Clostridium Perfringens Type A in Two Asiatic Black Bears (Selenarctos Thibetanus)

Beta2 (β2) toxin–producing Clostridium perfringens type A strains were found to be associated with necrotic and hemorrhagic intestinal lesions in 2 Asiatic black bears ( Selenarctos thibetanus) that died suddenly. Ten isolates were obtained from the liver, lungs, heart, and small and large intestine of the animals and were examined by multiplex polymerase chain reaction for the genes encoding the 4 lethal toxins (alpha, beta, epsilon, and iota) for classification into toxin types as well as for the genes encoding enterotoxin and the novel β2-toxin for subclassification. In addition, the cpb2 sequence of the 10 isolates was different from the published sequence of cpb2 of pig type C isolate CWC245, whereas it was highly similar to the cpb2 sequence of the C. perfringens type A strain 13. This finding suggests the existence of 2 cpb2 subtypes. This is the first report of enterotoxemia associated with the presence of C. perfringens producing β2-toxin in the tissues and intestinal content of Asiatic black bears.

Improvement of immunity and disease resistance in the Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, by dietary supplementation with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens

Probiotics can be used as immunostimulants in aquaculture. The aim of this study was to evaluate the immune responses of Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus following feeding with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens spores at concentrations of 1 × 10(6) (G3) and 1 × 10(4) (G2) colony-forming units per gram (CFU/g) of feed compared with a basal diet with no probiotics (G1). A total of 180 fingerlings (27.7 ± 0.22 g) were divided into three groups (G1-G3 of 20 fish per group) in triplicate. Innate immunities were measured every two weeks based on serum bactericidal activity, lysozyme activity, a nitric oxide assay (mmo/l) and phagocytic activity, and the expressions of interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF α) were examined after one month. Moreover, the survival of tilapia upon challenge with Yersinia ruckeri or Clostridium perfringens type D was determined at the end of feeding trial. After 15 d, the serum killing percentages and phagocytic activities were significantly higher in G3 than in G1 and G2, whereas the same parameters had significantly higher values in G3 and G2 than in G1 after 30 d. After both 15 d and 30 d, the lysozyme activities and nitric oxide assay results (mmo/l) were significantly higher in G3 than G2, and the lowest values were observed in G1. The percentage of serum killing, serum nitric oxide and serum lysozyme activity were significantly increased by the time of B. amyloliquefaciens administration independently of the probiotic dose, and the phagocytic activity percentage was significantly decreased at the end of the experiment. Dietary B. amyloliquefaciens caused significant increases in IL-1 and TNF α mRNA levels in the kidneys in the following pattern: G3 > G2 > G1. Fish that were fed B. amyloliquefaciens exhibited better relative survival percentages than the controls when challenged by Y. ruckeri or C. perfringens type D. Dietary supplementation with B. amyloliquefaciens improves immune status and disease resistance in Nile tilapia.

Rapid methods for the detection of foodborne bacterial pathogens: principles, applications, advantages and limitations

The incidence of foodborne diseases has increased over the years and resulted in major public health problem globally. Foodborne pathogens can be found in various foods and it is important to detect foodborne pathogens to provide safe food supply and to prevent foodborne diseases. The conventional methods used to detect foodborne pathogen are time consuming and laborious. Hence, a variety of methods have been developed for rapid detection of foodborne pathogens as it is required in many food analyses. Rapid detection methods can be categorized into nucleic acid-based, biosensor-based and immunological-based methods. This review emphasizes on the principles and application of recent rapid methods for the detection of foodborne bacterial pathogens. Detection methods included are simple polymerase chain reaction (PCR), multiplex PCR, real-time PCR, nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA), loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and oligonucleotide DNA microarray which classified as nucleic acid-based methods; optical, electrochemical and mass-based biosensors which classified as biosensor-based methods; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and lateral flow immunoassay which classified as immunological-based methods. In general, rapid detection methods are generally time-efficient, sensitive, specific and labor-saving. The developments of rapid detection methods are vital in prevention and treatment of foodborne diseases.

Rapid methods for the detection of foodborne bacterial pathogens: principles, applications, advantages and limitations

The incidence of foodborne diseases has increased over the years and resulted in major public health problem globally. Foodborne pathogens can be found in various foods and it is important to detect foodborne pathogens to provide safe food supply and to prevent foodborne diseases. The conventional methods used to detect foodborne pathogen are time consuming and laborious. Hence, a variety of methods have been developed for rapid detection of foodborne pathogens as it is required in many food analyses. Rapid detection methods can be categorized into nucleic acid-based, biosensor-based and immunological-based methods. This review emphasizes on the principles and application of recent rapid methods for the detection of foodborne bacterial pathogens. Detection methods included are simple polymerase chain reaction (PCR), multiplex PCR, real-time PCR, nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA), loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and oligonucleotide DNA microarray which classified as nucleic acid-based methods; optical, electrochemical and mass-based biosensors which classified as biosensor-based methods; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and lateral flow immunoassay which classified as immunological-based methods. In general, rapid detection methods are generally time-efficient, sensitive, specific and labor-saving. The developments of rapid detection methods are vital in prevention and treatment of foodborne diseases.

Importance of histamine-producing Clostridium perfringens in scombrotoxin-forming fish

It has been suggested that anaerobic histamine-producing bacteria (HPB) are important contributors to scombrotoxin fish poisoning (SFP). In order to assess the role of Clostridium perfringens in SFP, we developed a real-time PCR method for rapid detection of histamine-producing (HP) C. perfringens. The real-time PCR assay was 100% inclusive for detecting 23 HP C. perfringens and did not detect any of the other 116 HP or non-HP isolates examined. The efficiency of the assay with or without internal amplification control DNA was 102%; in the presence of background flora and inhibitory matrices, it was 90 to 99%. To investigate the importance of HP C. perfringens in SFP, we examined histamine production by C. perfringens in inoculated fish samples incubated under anaerobic conditions. C. perfringens produced low histamine levels in tuna (19 ppm) and Spanish mackerel (3 ppm), whereas gram-negative HPB produced high histamine levels (6,345 ppm in tuna; 1,223 ppm in Spanish mackerel) under the same conditions. When one bonito, two bigeye tuna, nine mahi-mahi, and five yellowfin tuna were examined for the presence of HPB, none (0 of 17) of the samples contained HP C. perfringens or other gram-positive HPB, whereas 86% of the samples contained gram-negative HPB. Our study indicates that histamine production by C. perfringens in scombrotoxin-forming fish was minimal compared with that by gram-negative HPB and that C. perfringens may not be an important bacterial species associated with SFP.

Haemorrhagic Bowel Syndrome in Dairy Cattle: Possible Role of Clostridium perfringens Type A in the Disease Complex

A survey based on clinical, pathological and microbiological investigations was performed on 11 Brown Swiss cattle affected with depression, anorexia, agalaxia, ruminal hypomotility, abdominal pain and melaena. In eight animals, macroscopical lesions consisted in haemorrhagic enteritis in the small intestine. Seven of eight isolates from tissue samples were identified as Clostridum perfringens type A, and four were identified as C. perfringens type A with the beta2 toxin gene. Based on these observations, animals were considered affected with haemorrhagic bowel syndrome.

Clostridium perfringens toxin-types in lambs and kids affected with gastroenteric pathologies in Italy

A study was carried out in the South of Italy to assess the role of clostridia in neonatal diseases of lambs and kids. Eighty-seven lambs and 15 kids belonging to 25 flocks were examined and Clostridium perfringens was the microorganism most commonly identified. C. perfringens isolates were analysed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), in order to determine the prevalence of the genes cpa, cpb, cpb2, etx, iap and cpe. The most prevalent toxin-type of C. perfringens was found to be type A found in 84% of the cases with clostridial enterotoxaemia. No C. perfringens type B, C or E were found. C. perfringens type D was isolated in 16% of the cases. About 24% of the isolates were cpb2 positive. The prevalence of cpb2 across the different C. perfringens types varied. The beta(2)-toxin gene cpb2 was detected in 4/21 (19%) type A isolates, in 1/2 type D isolates, and in 1/2 type DE (cpe-carrying type D) isolates. The high rate of positivity to cpb2 among the isolates suggests that a vaccine based on the beta(2)-toxin, should be included in the vaccination schedule of the animals to confer adequate protection and to prevent the disease.

Multiplex PCR assay for toxinotyping Clostridium perfringens isolates obtained from Finnish broiler chickens

AIMS

The aim of the study was to determine the presence of genes coding for alpha (cpa), beta (cpb), epsilon (etx), iota (iA) and enterotoxin (cpe) from Clostridium perfringens broiler chicken isolates, using multiplex PCR assay established in the study.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The multiplex PCR assay was shown to be specific when tested with 10 C. perfringens strains representing different toxin types, and 15 strains of other bacterial species. All 118 broiler chicken C. perfringens isolates were shown to carry the cpa gene but not cpb, etx, iap or cpe genes, signifying that all isolates represented type A and were cpe-negative.

CONCLUSIONS

The assay established in the study enables the simultaneous detection of the major toxin genes and the cpe gene from C. perfringens isolates.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

The present study offers a new primer pair for detecting cpa, combined with a multiplex PCR assay. In addition, the study provides data of the presence of different toxin genes in C. perfringens isolates obtained from broiler chickens.

Significance of beta 2-toxigenic clostridium perfringens infections in animals and their predisposing factors--a review

The novel beta 2-toxin of Clostridium perfringens has recently been described as the cause of enteric diseases in animals. The biological activity of beta 2-toxin is similar to that of the beta1-toxin with a possibly weaker cytotoxic activity. However, the production of beta 2-toxin in vitro is not seen in all beta 2-toxin-gene (cpb2)-positive C. perfringens strains, and to deduce a clinical importance solely from the detection of cpb2 is difficult. Detection of cpb2-positive C. perfringens from various animal species with and without enteric diseases demonstrates the wide distribution of cpb2 in nature, and the presence of cpb2 gene is therefore not considered a risk by itself. Predisposing factors like low trypsin activity in the intestinal tract, antibiotic and/or antiphlogistic treatment or changes in diet can result in the selection of beta 2-toxigenic C. perfringens which may lead to enteritis or enterotoxaemia.