The same clade of Clostridium botulinum strains is causing avian botulism in southern and northern Europe

Anaerobe. 2014 Apr:26:20-3. doi: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2014.01.002. Epub 2014 Jan 11.

Abstract

Avian botulism is a paralytic disease caused by Clostridium botulinum-produced botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs), most commonly of type C/D. It is a serious disease of waterbirds and poultry flocks in many countries in Europe. The objective of this study was to compare the genetic relatedness of avian C. botulinum strains isolated in Spain with strains isolated in Sweden using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Fifteen strains were isolated from Spanish waterbirds using an immunomagnetic separation technique. Isolates were characterized by PCR, and all were identified as the genospecies Clostridium novyi sensu lato and eight harboured the gene coding for the BoNT type C/D. PFGE analysis of the strains revealed four highly similar pulsotypes, out of which two contained strains from both countries. It also showed that outbreaks in wild and domestic birds can be caused by the same strains. These results support a clonal spreading of the mosaic C. botulinum type C/D through Europe and give relevant information for future epidemiological studies.

Keywords: Avian botulism; Clostridium botulinum; Immunomagnetic separation; PFGE.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bird Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Bird Diseases / microbiology*
  • Birds
  • Botulism / epidemiology
  • Botulism / microbiology
  • Botulism / veterinary*
  • Clostridium botulinum / classification*
  • Clostridium botulinum / genetics
  • Clostridium botulinum / isolation & purification*
  • Cluster Analysis
  • Disease Outbreaks*
  • Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field
  • Genotype
  • Molecular Epidemiology
  • Molecular Typing
  • Spain / epidemiology
  • Sweden / epidemiology