ALPHA-TOXIN PRODUCTION BY ENTEROTOXIN-PRODUCING STRAINS OF CLOSTRIDIUM-PERFRINGENS DERIVED FROM PATIENTS OF FOOD POISONING OUTBREAKS, FOOD HANDLERS AND FOODS

Alpha toxin is produced by C. perfringens and forms a white muddy zone on egg yolk-CW agar. It is known that the amount of alpha-toxin produced varies from strain to strain. Four hundred and thirty-six strains derived from patients of food poiosning outbreaks, food handlers and foods were therefore tested for enterotoxin and alpha-toxin production. 1. Duncan and Strong medium and fructose-chopped meat medium were equally effective for enterotoxin production and sporulation of strains of C. perfringens. 2. The majority of enterotoxin-producing strains derived from patients of food poisoning outbreaks and food handlers produced small amounts of alpha-toxin (less than 0.05 unit). However, the amounts of alpha-toxin produced by enterotoxin-producing strains derived from food varied from stain to strain, and ranged from less than 0.05 to 1.5 units. 3. The amounts of alpha-toxin produced by enterotoxin-nonproducing strains derived from patients of food poisoning outbreaks, food handlers and food varied, ranging from less than 0.05 to 1.5 units. 4. The amounts of alpha-toxin produced in fructose-chopped meat medium were not closely related to the size of the white muddy zone around the colonies grown on egg yolk-CW agar. Enterotoxin-producing strains derived from seven outbreaks of food poisoning formed white muddy zones of 3 to 5 mm around colonies grown on egg yolk-CW agar.