Affiliation:
1. Great Lakes WATER Institute, University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee, 600 E. Greenfield Ave., Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53204
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The release of fecal pollution into surface waters may create environmental reservoirs of feces-derived microorganisms, including pathogens.
Clostridium perfringens
is a commonly used fecal indicator that represents a human pathogen. The pathogenicity of this bacterium is associated with its expression of multiple toxins; however, the prevalence of
C. perfringens
with various toxin genes in aquatic environments is not well characterized. In this study,
C. perfringens
spores were used to measure the distribution of fecal pollution associated with suspended sediments in the nearshore waters of Lake Michigan. Particle-associated
C. perfringens
levels were greatest adjacent to the Milwaukee harbor and diminished in the nearshore waters. Species-specific PCR and toxin gene profiles identified 174 isolates collected from the suspended sediments, surface water, and sewage influent as
C. perfringens
type A. Regardless of the isolation source, the beta2 and enterotoxin genes were common among isolates. The suspended sediments yielded the highest frequency of
cpe
-carrying
C. perfringens
(61%) compared to sewage (38%). Gene arrangement of enterotoxin was investigated using PCR to target known insertion sequences associated with this gene. Amplification products were detected in only 9 of 90 strains, which suggests there is greater variability in
cpe
gene arrangement than previously described. This work presents evidence that freshwater suspended sediments and sewage influent are reservoirs for potentially pathogenic
cpe
-carrying
C. perfringens
spores.
Publisher
American Society for Microbiology
Subject
Ecology,Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology,Food Science,Biotechnology
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