Toxin types of Clostridium perfringens isolated from free-ranging, semidomesticated reindeer in Norway

• Published in: Veterinary Record
• Main Authors: Aschfalk, A., Valentin-Weigand, P., Goethe, R., Müller, W.
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 2002
• Subjects: Papers & Articles; Norway; Northern Norway; Rangifer tarandus; reindeer husbandry
• Online Access: http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/cgi/content/short/151/7/210; https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.151.7.210

Samples of faeces were taken from 166 healthy domesticated reindeer ( Rangifer tarandus tarandus ) from three flocks in different reindeer husbandry districts in northern Norway and examined bacteriologically for the presence of Clostridium perfringens . The organism was isolated from 98 (59 per cent) of the reindeer. The isolates were classified into C perfringens toxin types by PKR analysis specific for the genes encoding the four major toxins (α, β, ϵ and ι) and were subclassified by the detection of the genes encoding C perfringens β2-toxin and enterotoxin. All the isolates belonged to C perfringens toxin type A. In addition, 15 of the 98 isolates were PCR-positive for the β2-toxin gene, and two of the isolates had the the gene encoding for enterotoxin.