Molecular typing of Clostridium perfringens toxins recovered from Central Saudi Arabia.

Objective: This study reports on comparisons between polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and conventional diagnostic methods for typing Clostridium perfringens toxins collected from Central Saudi Arabia.

Methods: Fecal samples from 150 animals showing signs of enterotoxaemia were collected from 24 April 2009 to 25 September 2009, from different farms located in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Twenty-seven toxigenic strains of Clostridium perfringens were recovered from 150 fecal and intestinal content samples were identified and typed by conventional methods. All the strains were analyzed by PCR using specific primers for alpha, beta, epsilon and iota toxin genes. The experimental work was carried out at the Center of Excellence in Biotechnology, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Results: The results revealed alpha toxin gene Clostridium perfringens type A in 22 (81.5%) strains out of 27 toxigenic strains, however, only 20 (74.1%) of them were identified previously as type A by classical method. One strain (3.7%) was identified as type C and 3 strains (11.1%) were identified as D by PCR typing. Moreover, PCR results confirmed the traditional methods in typing one strain as type B (3.7%). Also, PCR method can detect 2 other strains of type A directly from the feces and intestinal contents of the examined chicken, which provide negative results in bacteriological examination.

Conclusion: Polymerase chain reaction technique can be used as an alternative diagnostic method for detection and typing of Clostridium perfringens.