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Bacteriocin typing of Clostridium perfringens in human feces
Abstract:
Three hundred and ninety-nine isolates of Clostridium perfringens from enriched stool specimens of 51 individuals (about eight colonies per person) were typed by bacteriocins. Forty-nine percent of these persons carried more than one bacteriocin type in their stool, and some had three or four different stains as determined by bacteriocin typing. Weekly stool specimens obtained from seven positive volunteers over a period of 5 weeks were screened for C. perfringens, and several colonies from each person were typed. This survey demonstrated that the number of types fluctuated with time, several types could be carried simultaneously, and the isolation of the organism was variable. Nine new bacteriocin types of C. perfringens were isolated in this study.
Insights
Clostridium perfringens strains in human stool are diverse. Many individuals carry multiple bacteriocin types simultaneously, with type prevalence fluctuating over time.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Bacteriology
- Genetics
Background:
- Clostridium perfringens is an opportunistic pathogen.
- Understanding the diversity and dynamics of C. perfringens strains in the human gut is crucial for public health.
- Bacteriocin typing is a method used to differentiate bacterial strains.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the diversity of Clostridium perfringens bacteriocin types in human stool specimens.
- To determine the prevalence of multiple C. perfringens types within individuals.
- To assess the temporal stability of C. perfringens carriage.
Main Methods:
- Isolation and bacteriocin typing of Clostridium perfringens from stool samples of 51 individuals.
- Collection of weekly stool specimens from seven volunteers over a 5-week period for longitudinal analysis.
- Identification of nine novel bacteriocin types.
Main Results:
- 49% of individuals harbored more than one bacteriocin type of C. perfringens.
- Some individuals carried three or four distinct C. perfringens strains.
- The number of C. perfringens types carried by individuals varied over the 5-week study period.
- Simultaneous carriage of multiple types and variable isolation rates were observed.
Conclusions:
- Human gut microbiota harbors a significant diversity of Clostridium perfringens bacteriocin types.
- Individuals can simultaneously carry multiple C. perfringens strains, indicating complex colonization patterns.
- The dynamic nature of C. perfringens carriage highlights the need for comprehensive typing methods.