Detection of Clostridium difficile and toxin genes in samples of modified atmosphere packaged (MAP) minced and cubed beef meat

Abstract

In this study it is intended to find out the prevalence of Clostridium difficile in modified atmosphere packaged (MAP) minced (n:50) and cubed beef meat samples (n:50); determine the toxin from the isolates and detect the antibiotic susceptibility against metronidazole, vancomycin and clindamycin. C. difficile isolates have been isolated from two (4%) of 50 minced beef meat samples; one (2%) of 50 cubed beef meat samples. All three isolates were confirmed by PCR as C. difficile by the detection of tpi gene. Three out of 5 C. difficile isolates showed toxigenic character, two of them were carried type B (tcdB) toxin genes, one of them harbored type A (tcdA) toxin gene. When antibiotic resistance profile was phenotypically analyzed, only C. difficile type A (tcdA) was found resistant against clindamycin. All isolates were found sensitive to vancomycin and metronidazole. The result of this study demonstrated that C. difficile strains detected in samples of modified atmosphere packaged (MAP) beef meat could be a potential problem to public health.