We established a method of directly detecting Clostridium botulinum type C cells, while minimizing spore detection, in the intestinal contents of Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus). This technique involved extraction of predominantly cellular DNA from tilapia intestinal tracts and used a polymerase chain reaction assay to detect presence of type C1 toxin gene. We consistently detected C. botulinum type C cells in tilapia gastrointestinal contents at a level of 7.5×104 cells per 0.25 g material or 1.9×103 cells. This technique is useful for determining prevalence of the potentially active organisms within a given population of fish and may be adapted to other types of C. botulinum and vertebrate populations as well.
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1 October 2004
Detection of Clostridium botulinum Type C Cells in the Gastrointestinal Tracts of Mozambique Tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) by Polymerase Chain Reaction
P. Nol,
J. L. Williamson,
T. E. Rocke,
T. M. Yuill
Journal of Wildlife Diseases
Vol. 40 • No. 4
October 2004
Vol. 40 • No. 4
October 2004
Clostridium botulinum type C
diagnostic technique
polymerase chain reaction
tilapia